


Faery Fate

by thePetetoherPatrick



Series: Faery Kiss [3]
Category: My Chemical Romance
Genre: Alternate Universe - Faeries, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Angst, Cheating, Deception, Faery Realms, Implied Smut, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-22
Updated: 2018-10-12
Packaged: 2019-07-01 04:36:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 31,636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15766731
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thePetetoherPatrick/pseuds/thePetetoherPatrick
Summary: "Frank?""Who are you? How do you know me?"Gerard took a deep breath and sat down across from him."I guess you don't remember me then."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey so I've been working on this for a while now and I didn't want to post it till it was done but I feel like I've got enough chapters stocked up and I'm close enough to the end that it'll be fine. This is the 3rd part of the Faery Kiss Series. I'm super excited about this and I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> ***This is your disclaimer: It's tagged underage because the humans are like teenagers and the Faeries are like hundreds and thousands of years old. I don't wanna hear it. I know. I'm aware. It's dumb, just read it please.

Frank grumbled loudly as he flopped on his bed and buried his head under his pillow. He was beyond fed up with school and his mother was getting on his absolute last nerve with this college thing. His sixteenth birthday was looming over him and while he was excited about some things, his mother was making it difficult; she wanted to make some big deal about it. He heard her knock on his bedroom door but he ignored it until she gave up and left. He looked at the shoe box sitting on the shelf of his closet for a minute before pushing himself up to go get it. He sat down cross legged and opened it. When he was a kid, maybe eight years old, he’d gone wandering at the edge of the park in the trees and he did it often so it wasn’t unusual. He’d found a strange crown made of antlers with an amethyst in the center under a tree by the little pond. It was covered under brush like it’d been there for a few years but it caught Frank’s eye and he brought it home. His mother didn’t like it at all and tried to make him get rid of it. He hid it but she thought it was gone so he just continued to hide it. He wasn’t actually sure what it was but it was pretty and looked really old. 

 

He smiled at the light that shone off the stone and leaned against the doorframe of the closet. There were many things in the box with it. All the postcards his father gave him from his travels when he stopped to visit Frank for a weekend here and there when he was in town. There were several little trinkets in the bottom and a couple of photos. Pictures that he’d taken with the instant camera his grandfather had given him. They were all shaky and a little blurry but you could still tell what they were. Pictures of his family, laughing and smiling at gatherings, of a puppy he found on the street that followed him home from the bus stop one day. He smiled as he looked at them. 

 

There was a drawing in the bottom too. He wasn’t sure what made him draw it but he loved it. He wasn’t great at drawing but the face was burned into his mind so he tried his hardest. There were various doodles over the years of the same design. The same pale skin, the same striking green eyes and bright red hair, the same strange purple markings on his skin. The rest of the details were never quite the same but he wasn’t even sure where he knew the face from. He put everything back in the box and returned it to the shelf with a deep sigh. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank sat under the tree with a smoke in his hand and his head rested back against the trunk. He liked it here, it was peaceful and quiet. He could watch the world go by and not miss anything. He looked at his homework sprawled out beside him and wrinkled up his nose. He knew he should do it, that’s why he brought it with him, and he’d thought that the quiet would help but now that he was here it just seemed like more boredom than it was really worth to him right now. 

 

His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of someone sitting down on his other side. He jump a little and looked over to see Bob had plopped down to lean against the tree with him. 

 

“You fucker, I didn’t need to have a heart attack, thanks.” 

 

“Oh, anytime.” 

 

Bob grinned as he chuckled and got comfortable. 

 

“So what are we brooding about today?” 

 

Frank rolled his eyes at Bob’s mockery of him. 

 

“Right now, whether or not I should actually do this stupid English paper.” 

 

“Dude, at least it was A Midsummer Night’s Dream and not some rendition of Romeo and Juliet for the third year in a row.” 

 

“True but it’s still lame. How much more ridiculous could Shakespeare have gotten? He goes from tragedies and failed romances and murderous families to Faeries and petty trickery. Honestly I don’t get where he was going with that one or what the hell he was smoking when he came up with it.” 

 

“Use that for your essay, argue about that. It sounds educated enough that I’m sure Tatlock would be impressed enough to at least not fail you like she did on the last essay you bullshitted last minute.” 

 

Frank shrugged and nodded, pausing to take a drag from his smoke and offer it to Bob. He slowly let out his breath as Bob took a drag and gave it back to him. 

 

“I just don’t think he at all covered anything in that book that was even close to a coherent or interesting plot line. Titania was a jealous bitch, Oberon was an old fool and Puck is a dick.” 

 

Bob shrugged at Frank’s rambling. 

 

“I don’t know, dude, but I think she will fail you if you don’t hand anything in.” 

 

“Yeah I know. I’ll do it. Just not right now.” 

 

Frank sighed and closed his eyes.

 

“What’s the matter with you today?” 

 

“Tired,” 

 

Frank mumbled, quickly trying to dismiss Bob’s questioning. 

 

He felt Bob take his smoke out of his hand and when it didn’t return he could only assume he finished it. He felt Bob’s hand on his side and he opened his eyes to look over at him. Bob could lift Frank but he never would, instead he motioned for Frank to move over to him. Frank always felt ridiculous doing it but curling up against Bob just felt nice, safe and comforting. He pushed himself away from the tree to crawl over into Bob’s lap as the bigger boy wrapped his arms around Frank. 

 

“You don’t fool me, Iero.” 

 

“I know,” 

 

He said and tucked his head under Bob’s chin. 

 

“What’s wrong then?” 

 

“I just...I don’t even know anymore. I’m bored, I guess, and tired of all the bullshit. Real tired of the assholes at school.” 

 

“You know they’re just dicks.” 

 

“I know. That doesn’t really help though.” 

 

Bob sighed and leaned so that he could look at Frank’s face. 

 

“It’s not your fault she was a manipulative bitch.” 

 

“No but I shouldn’t have even gone out with her in the first place.” 

 

“How were you supposed to know that she literally only wanted your dick?” 

 

“Uh...because she’s slept with half the male population at our school.” 

 

Bob nodded. 

 

“Ok you have a point but still, dude, not your fault.” 

 

“My other thing with the whole situation is why because I didn’t want to fuck her does that automatically mean I’m gay?” 

 

Bob shrugged and snickered. 

 

“Well, I mean...your favourite place to sit is your best friend’s lap.” 

 

“I hate you.” 

 

“Sure you do.” 

 

“It’s not like being gay is a bad thing, I just...don’t know why that’s what she picked to go with for an insult to spread around the school.” 

 

“You know...she might be right though…” 

 

Frank glared up at Bob. 

 

“What the hell does that mean?” 

 

“Think about it. When have you ever gone on a date that went anywhere? You don’t give a flying fuck about any of the girls who bat their eyelashes at you at school. And trust me they definitely do; you’ve got that stupid ‘bad boy’ look that high school girls go nuts over. I’m not trying to be a dick, I’m just saying that maybe you should actually think about it. You’re either gay or ace.” 

 

Frank frowned at him and wrinkled up his nose. He really hadn’t ever thought about it. He pushed up onto his knees, trying not to hurt Bob in the process. Bob watched him curiously but warily. Frank grabbed Bob’s chin in his hand and kissed him firmly, intent on proving him wrong. Bob caught on and softened the kiss by reciprocating and kissing Frank back until he was left breathless and confused. Bob broke the kiss and looked at Frank. 

 

“You know, I don’t swing that way but you are not the worst kisser.” 

 

Bob grinned and laughed a little. 

 

“But how do you feel about it?” 

 

Frank just sat there and looked at Bob, that was not what he’d bargained for and he wasn’t sure what to say. He’d kissed his best friend, it was gay, and...he liked it. Bob seemed to catch that too. 

 

“Ah, see...you don’t know if you ignore and deny.” 

 

Frank swatted him but there was no effort behind it. Bob grinned and pulled Frank back into his lap the way he had been before. 

 

“Sorry,” 

 

Frank mumbled. 

 

“For what?” 

 

“Kissing you. I know you don’t swing that way and that really wasn’t fair to you.” 

 

“Dude, I don’t care. I’m not attracted to guys but I’m not an asshole and where are you gonna find a gay guy around here to have tried that with? I regret nothing and like I said, you’re a good kisser. I definitely have no desire ever to fuck you but I didn’t mind that.”

 

Frank looked up at Bob and felt pathetic. 

 

“You sure you’re not gay from the waist up?” 

 

Bob thought about it for a minute and shrugged. 

 

“Could be, I guess, considering that I kind of want to do it again.” 

 

Frank grinned and nodded, shifting to face Bob and letting him lean down to kiss him again. Frank hummed at the feeling of Bob’s hands on him, letting himself take it all in and dive headfirst into this. They made out for a while before they broke apart again and this time Bob rolled his eyes as Frank squirmed a little. 

 

“Yeah, you’re definitely gay, and I’m definitely not helping you with that unless you’d like me to dunk you in the cold pond.” 

 

Frank made a face at him and crawled out of his lap. 

 

“Asshole.” 

 

~~~~~

 

Nothing more than kissing ever happened between them but Frank was fine with that. It was still nice and Bob seemed into it. He initiated it most of the time, much to Frank’s surprise not that he was complaining. He was in Bob’s room right now, waiting for him to finish up the chores that his mother very aggressively told him to do. He leaned back against Bob’s pillow and played on him phone absentmindedly. When Bob did come back he sprawled out on the lower part of the bed and smiled at Frank. 

 

“Whatcha doing?” 

 

“Beating your high score again.” 

 

“You rat bastard. That took me forever to do.” 

 

“And...beat it.” 

 

Frank grinned and showed him his phone. 

 

“That is just cruel and unusual punishment, and I didn’t even do anything.” 

 

Bob made a face at him and Frank chuckled in response. He set aside his phone and crawled over to Bob. 

 

“Cruel and unusual?” 

 

“Yes, cruel and unusual.” 

 

Bob sat up and looked at him. Frank crawled up into Bob’s lap and smiled at him gently. Bob slid his hands up to Frank’s hips as he leaned up to kiss him. Frank smiled into the kiss a little and wrapped his arms around Bob’s neck. They kissed for a while until Bob pulled away to let them breathe. Frank smiled for a minute until he settled and he looked at Bob for a minute. 

 

“Bob...what are we doing?” 

 

“What do you mean?” 

 

“I mean...you’re not gay and you’ve made that clear. Gay above the waist only really goes so far so what are we really doing? I’m not saying I don’t enjoy this...I just don’t know that this…it’s been two weeks of this and I just...”

 

Bob raised an eyebrow. 

 

“I know it’s not the greatest...I guess if you want to move on that’s fine. We both knew that would happen eventually…” 

 

Bob shifted uncomfortably and gently pushed Frank off his lap to set him on the bed. 

 

“Bob, I’m just...I’m just trying to figure this out...you seem upset.” 

 

Bob leaned against the wall and looked at Frank. 

 

“You didn’t honestly expect me not to have feelings for you after all of this? I said I wasn’t gay, not that I was heartless. Though I’m starting to question the gay thing. I clearly get turned on by making out with you.” 

 

Frank looked at Bob curiously and sat up on his knees. 

 

“Ok...so what are you saying?” 

 

“I’m saying that I think I might…...I still like girls so maybe…”

 

“You could be bi or something.” 

 

Bob nodded and smiled at him. 

 

“Maybe. I don’t really know, but what I’m saying is this isn’t just…” 

 

Frank nodded and crawled back into Bob’s lap, putting his arms over his shoulders. He kissed Bob more gently than he ever had. 

 

“It’s ok, Bob, we can figure this out together...I just didn’t want this to be something we were forcing for no real reason. I care about you and you’re worth more than that.” 

 

“I think that sounds good. We’ll figure it out.” 

 

Bob nodded and leaned up to kiss Frank again, pulling him up close against his own body. Frank let out a breathy moan and clung to him tightly. 

 

“Right now though…” 

 

Bob said as he stopped to take a breath. 

 

“I think we both have a problem…” 

 

Frank leaned his forehead against Bob’s and looked into his eyes uncertainly. They’d never crossed that line. They both knew that when they were apart after a makeout that they’d deal with it themselves. But they never talked about it and no attempt was ever made to do anything about it together, which seemed to be what Bob was implying. 

 

“You sure?” 

 

Bob nodded without any hesitation, pushing against Frank a little. Frank grinned and slid down to undo Bob’s jeans. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You know you’d probably be warmer over here.” 
> 
> “We’ve talked about this at least a d-dozen times, Andy. No.” 
> 
> “Yeah, I know and you still shiver and curl up every night and get next to no sleep.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so because I'm actually almost done, like literally a chapter away from the end, this fic you guys get another chapter ^-^

Gerard huddled close to the small fire he’d built and grumbled as Andy relaxed comfortably on his bedroll. Gerard missed the warmth of the sun and the smell of the forest. He wanted the feeling of the summer magic that flowed through everything in the Seelie Realms. He needed it actually. Andy had found him an amulet full of the magic for him to draw on to keep him alive and keep him from freezing. It was a temporary fix for a long term problem but it helped for now. 

 

The Unseelie Realm was forever in winter as the Seelie was in permanent summer. One kind of Faery could visit the other Realm with no problems but an extended stay could become dangerous. It could send a Faery mad, and eventually kill them. The only reason Gerard had survived the last eleven or so human years was Andy. The amulet had drained a few times, it did so quicker when he used his magic, and Andy had gone to the Seelie Realm to get it refilled. Gerard wasn’t exactly sure how he did it. He’d need a Seelie Faery to do it for him and the price wouldn’t be small for something like that. Especially when it was an Unseelie asking. 

 

He heard Andy shift and looked over to see he’d rolled over to face Gerard. 

 

“What?” 

 

“You know you’d probably be warmer over here.” 

 

“We’ve talked about this at least a d-dozen times, Andy. No.” 

 

“Yeah, I know and you still shiver and curl up every night and get next to no sleep.” 

 

Gerard knew Andy was right but he couldn’t bring himself to allow it. Andy had given him a lot over the time he’d been here and Gerard hated to ask any more of him; even just body warmth so he wouldn’t freeze. Andy thought Gerard just had a personal space issue and Gerard let him believe that. Right now though, he half considered crawling over with his bed roll to curl up next to Andy under his warm thick cloak. A harsh wind blew over them making Gerard shiver harder and the fire flicker violently. Gerard curled up even further and glared at the fire, just daring it to try and go out. Andy gave him a pointed look and lifted the edge of his cloak, moving over to make space for Gerard. He gritted his teeth against the cold before finally shifting to get up and move over beside Andy. He kept himself wrapped in his blanket and pulled his bedroll over to overlap Andy’s, giving them a little more space. He hesitated a little before crawling under the cloak, still wrapped up in his blanket. Andy smiled and tucked the cloak around him, not leaving much space for Gerard to move away from him but that was ok because he realized how warm Andy actually felt.

 

“How in the world…?” 

 

Gerard furrowed his brow as he snuggled into Andy’s bare chest. 

 

“I thought you guys were all just made of ice and that’s why you don’t feel the cold.” 

 

“Not quite.” 

 

Andy chuckled and shook his head. 

 

“I can feel the cold, it just doesn’t get to me as easily because I’m warm.” 

 

Gerard nodded and hummed. Andy chuckled and tucked Gerard against himself. 

 

“You’ll be fine, just get some sleep.” 

 

Gerard only half heard him as he fell asleep slowly.

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard woke up and at first he was almost convinced he was at home, sleeping in a warm sunny spot. As he woke up he realized that he was curled up with Andy instead. Gerard yawned quietly and looked up at him. Andy was already awake and smiled at Gerard as he started to try to move. 

 

“So, what are we doing today?” 

 

“I think we need more food because we’re almost out and we seriously need to find an actual place to camp because we can’t keep moving around and camping out in the open where you are more likely to freeze.”

 

Andy sat up, pulling the cloak away and making Gerard grumble about the cold. 

 

“It sounds like a good idea, I guess. It’s still cold though.” 

 

“We go through this every day and it’s not gonna get any warmer. It’s warmer than it was at night and this is not that bad.” 

 

Gerard begged to differ on whether or not this was that bad but he sat up anyway because Andy was right. It wasn’t likely to get any warmer and moving around might help. Once Gerard was up it wasn’t much to get their things packed up. Gerard had been sent here with very little but what he didn’t have Andy had managed to procure for him. He tried to contribute what he could over the years but he was more or less helpless in the Unseelie Realm. He’d lost the only thing of any real value he had that could have been traded and he didn’t know where it had gone. They picked up their stuff and started a slow trek through the brush in hopes of finding proper shelter. 

 

“So what are we thinking? A cave might work but I think we need to be wary of any pre-existing inhabitants. I’m sure they’d make quick work of a Seelie.” 

 

Andy said as they hiked, they passed a Gate or two but they ignored them. Gerard had found that despite what King had said about Gates that he could pass through certain ones. The ones that only travelled to other places in the Unseelie Realm had no affect on him. He’d stepped through one once that led to the Seelie Realm without realizing it, he saw the lush forest for only a moment before he was thrown deep into the Unseelie Realm. It had taken Andy months to find him again but he did. 

 

They’d been looking for a more permanent place for a while now. Spending long days walking. There’d been so much time to talk and Andy liked to play games to pass the time. Sometimes he would enchant things or make it snow on Gerard’s head while he walked. They’d discussed finding a cabin or even building something up in a tall tree. Gerard liked the idea of a cave though, it sounded warmer and like it presented an opportunity for a little more shelter. Andy wanted to be close to a river and they’d been trying to find one since. It made sense but it took time. Gerard remembered when he thought that was a bad thing. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard growled in frustration as he tried to tie his gauntlet tight but his frozen fingers refused to cooperate. The other Faery sighed and knelt in front of him, reaching out to help but Gerard pulled his arm away. 

 

“I’ve got it, I’m not a child.” 

 

“No, but you’re frustrated and cold and you’re going to break the lace. Let me help you. I’m going to have to get my hands on some warmer clothes for you.” 

 

“I’m fine.” 

 

Andy looked up at him in frustration. 

 

“Look. You said you’ve got a hundred years. That does no good if you die in year one. You’re not meant for this cold and you’ll be thankful for the furs in the long run. The way I see it you can either try to live and make the best of it or you can be a miserable goblin and suffer twice as much.”

 

Andy grabbed hold of Gerard’s arm and tightened the laced up before tying it properly. 

 

“You’ve been here three days, don’t give up just yet. Ok?” 

 

Gerard looked at him doubtfully, and tried to stand up. He slipped on the ice and snow and landed back on his ass. Andy snickered and shook his head at him before helping him up. He offered Gerard his cloak but Gerard refused it. It was long and he’d end up tripping over that was well as his own feet. They walked more or less aimlessly through the trees; they’d agreed to get out of the thickest part of the woods at least and that was their only real goal. Andy had suggested going into the City but Gerard was a Seelie, he stood out and Unseelie didn’t generally take too kindly to a Seelie in their midst; he’d dealt with that once or twice before. 

 

Gerard walked quietly with his head down and tried not to trip over things or slip on the ice patches where water had somehow pooled and frozen. He was doing fairly well until he heard a giggle and something hit him in the face. He yelled as he fell and looked around to see Andy up ahead of him, half behind a tree and laughing so hard he looked like he might fall over. Gerard frowned deeply at him and was about to give him a good yelling at before he saw a Gnome with an armful of snowballs. He frowned and huffed as he stood up and brushed himself off. The Gnome raised his hand with one clump of snow, ready to throw it at Gerard again. 

 

“Alright, why? I didn’t do anything to you.” 

 

Gerard grumbled and growled, before glaring up at Andy who was trying to compose himself. 

 

“He just wants to play. There’s no harm in it. He knows you’re not from here and wants you to play with him. It’s a snowball fight. It’s fun.”

 

Andy smiled gleefully at Gerard and picked up a snowball himself before lobbing it at Gerard. He threw up his arms to defend against the cold projectile. He looked at the Gnome as it threw another one at his legs. Gerard glared at them both and rolled his eyes before setting off towards Andy. The Gnome pouted and whined as Gerard left but he ignored it. He heard Andy say something and then felt a hand on his shoulder. 

 

“Hey, why won’t you play with him? What’s the hurry? He was trying to be your friend.” 

 

“How is that playing?” 

 

“Well what do Seelie do for fun?” 

 

“We play games and do magic and duel. I just fail to see what the game in throwing snow around is.” 

 

“Just because you don’t see it now doesn’t mean there isn’t one or that you won’t come to see it if you try. Gnomes are common this deep in the forest and they love to play and cause mischief. They’re mostly harmless and like to give favours to those who will make them laugh.” 

 

Gerard looked at Andy, he almost felt bad for snubbing the Gnome’s attempts at a game but he shook his head. 

 

“I have no interest in playing right now. I’m cold and I don’t want to be here.” 

 

“That may be but you are and you will be for a while, so spurning the Gnomes is not wise and you know it.” 

 

Andy sighed in disappointment and turned to lead Gerard off in the direction they’d been going before. 

 

“Tell me about the Seelie Realm then, I don’t go often and don’t stay long enough to learn anything.” 

 

Gerard gave Andy a look but sighed and thought about it for minute.

 

“Everything is green and there are large open spaces in some places that are all grass and sunlight. We’re stuck in an eternal summer but we have night and day like there is here. Our cities are made in the trees and amongst the greatest forests. I think we have more wildlife than you do here. Certainly no Gnomes though. We have to contend with Nymphs, Dryads and Will of the Wisps though.” 

 

“What in the name of Queen Mab is a Will of the Wisp?” 

 

Gerard grinned and shook his head as they walked and began to explain the creatures. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard snapped out of his train of thought when Andy grabbed his arm. He looked up at the Unseelie and frowned before he realized he was listening to something. Andy seemed to perk up and shifted his grip to Gerard’s hand to lead him up the steep hill to the North. When they crested over the top they could see a vast frozen lake. 

 

“Well it’s no river...but I’ll wager this works as water?”

 

Gerard looked at Andy who nodded happily. 

 

“I know where we are, as well, and I know somewhere along the shore that’s safe.” 

 

He said and continued to lead Gerard down to the water. They walked along the edge and Gerard couldn’t believe that after so long they found somewhere for them. It boded well and made Gerard hope for an easier future on the horizon. No more wandering, no more shivering hopelessly at night. They went back into the trees a little way down the shore and Gerard frowned until he saw a rock face on the side of a taller hill and a gap in it at the base. 

 

“A cave?” 

 

“Yes but also better. You’ll like this.” 

 

Andy grinned widely and let go of Gerard to run into the cave. Gerard followed cautiously and found that it was much warmer in the cave and he could hear the sounds of water. He furrowed his brows and went a little deeper until he found Andy stripping down to nearly nothing beside a bubbling pool of water. 

 

“A hot spring!” 

 

Gerard felt himself almost bouncing on his toes as Andy jumped in and hummed happily at the feeling of the water. 

 

“Well, what are you waiting for? Get in here.” 

 

Gerard smiled bigger than he had in a long time and started unlacing and undoing parts of his clothing till he was left in nothing but his undershorts and jumped into the large pool with him. The heat felt like home and Gerard let himself feel wrapped up in it.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I haven’t been to the Human Realm in a while so it’s up to you. Do you want to try this?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm basically just intentionally distracting laudanum_cafe with this but I hope the rest of you enjoy this ^-^

Frank woke to a strange feeling and, as he blinked his eyes open, an unfamiliar surrounding. He sat up and looked around in confusion. He’d never seen a forest like this before. It was quiet and yet felt so alive, it was the most bizarre thing he’d ever woken to, to say the least. He felt something pressing against his chest uncomfortably and he looked down to find it was a leather strap cutting into the bare flesh. He ran his hand up the strap to find it attached to a quiver on his back, he was even more sure that’s what it was when he felt the smooth texture of stiffened feathers. Not only that but his hands and forearms were covered by more leather, laced tightly on the side. He stood up and looked himself over carefully. He was dressed only in rough, almost burlap type pants and some boots made of stiffer leather. He also seemed to have some weird paint on his arms and chest. 

 

He looked around again and started to wander. He felt like he needed to move and he couldn’t explain that. The forest seemed like there wasn’t much alive in it, but more than a few times Frank saw something move at the edge of his vision but it was always gone when he looked right at it. He walked slowly and watched everything around him. 

 

He didn’t know how long he wandered before he saw a pond resting among brambles and bushes. It was so calm and quiet and it ran so deep that it looked like black glass. It looked deep enough that he wouldn’t want to fall in for fear that some monster would snatch him up and drag him down into its depths. He saw his reflection almost as clear as if in a mirror and raised an eyebrow. The paint was on his face too and more went down his chin and onto his neck. His whole face seemed changed and yet it was still him and he knew it. He shook his head and reached into the water to try and wash the silly paint off.

 

The second his fingers broke the surface something jumped up to grab his shoulders and pull him in. He didn’t even have time to yell before he was under the water. The scaly creature reminded him of a mermaid or a nymph but not quite as pretty or as friendly as the stories you see as a kid make them seem. He fought against her grip and the reflex telling him he needed to take a breath. Her claws dug into his arms harshly and he kicked at her. His foot connected with her ribs and he pushed away as hard as he could. He tried desperately to reach the surface but she grabbed hold of his leg, her claws tearing into the material of his pants. He felt a hand grab hold of the strap on his quiver and haul him up out of the water. He gasped for breath as he broke the surface and was set, none too gently, back on the ground. He heard the creature hiss and whoever had saved him did it back, before growling viciously at her. Frank pushed himself up onto his knees just as she disappeared back into the cold water. He looked up and was met with a familiar face. He knew the fierce green eyes and bright red hair that framed the pale face looking back at him but he didn’t know why. 

 

“Frankie?” 

 

The other man tilted his head curiously as he watched Frank. 

 

“Uh...yeah...how’d you kn-.” 

 

He was cut off as the man kissed him. Frank squeaked in surprise and felt him pull away. 

 

“I’m sorry, I never thought I’d see you again and you’ve gotten so…” 

 

Frank raised an eyebrow in confusion and watched him for a minute. He shook his head trying to clear it and internally had to remind himself that his brain was not an Etch-a-Sketch. He knew better than to move towards the familiar stranger but he did it anyway. 

 

“No, it’s ok.” 

 

The man smiled at this and leaned forward to claim Frank’s lips again. Frank’s brain tried to scream out that he shouldn’t be allowing this, but it didn’t feel wrong to him and some deeper part of his soul urged him forward. He shifted forward more to climb into the man’s lap and deepen the kiss. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank jumped, as everything fell away and he was thrown back into reality as he woke up, causing him to fall off the edge of the bed. He sat there in confusion for a minute as the dream lingered and still clouded his brain for a little bit. 

 

“What the hell, dude?” 

 

Frank looked up at the sound of Bob’s groggy voice. 

 

“Uh...a dream, I guess…” 

 

Frank frowned as he crawled back up onto his bed. 

 

“‘Bout what?” 

 

Bob lifted the blankets to welcome Frank back into the warmth of the bed and pulled him back against his chest. Frank grinned as he felt Bob pressed up against his ass. 

 

“Apparently the same thing you were dreaming about.” 

 

He wiggled around to face Bob. Bob grinned and leaned his head down a bit to kiss Frank roughly. Frank hummed and pushed Bob till he lay flat on his back, and climbed up to straddle his hips. Bob groaned and shifted his hips a little against Frank. 

 

“Fuck!” 

 

Frank moaned. 

 

“That’s the idea.” 

 

Bob grinned and sat up to kiss down Frank’s throat.

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard’s breathing relaxed as he braced himself against the tree, the last waves of nausea leaving him slowly. He had nothing left in his stomach to throw up. He wiped off his chin and tried to stand up properly as Andy offered him his water. He took it with shaky hands and sipped carefully. 

 

“This is happening way too often, Gerard. You need to let me take you to see Lynz.” 

 

“No, I’m fi-.” 

 

Gerard’s protest was cut off by another wave of nausea making him double over and throw up the little bit of water he’d managed to drink. 

 

“Now you can’t even keep water down. We’re going whether you like it or not.” 

 

Gerard groaned but let Andy help him sort himself out before he grabbed hold of Gerard’s arm. The hike Andy led him on was made longer only because of Gerard having to stop every so often from the sickness. He didn’t know how long the walk was before they came to a Gate but Gerard hesitated when they finally got there. 

 

“This one doesn’t go outside the Unseelie Realm. You’ll be fine.” 

 

Andy reassured him and led him through. They came out in an icy alleyway. 

 

“You brought me into the Unseelie City? Are you insane?” 

 

Gerard looked at Andy in terror. 

 

“Relax, she’s not that far from here and no one will see you.” 

 

“My hair kind of stands out.” 

 

Andy took off his cloak and wrapped it around Gerard tightly and pulled the hood up to hide his very bright, and very obviously Seelie, hair. 

 

“There, no problem.” 

 

Andy grinned before leading Gerard out into the open street. Gerard did his best to keep his head down and hide his face while letting Andy lead him but when he stopped suddenly Gerard ran right into him. 

 

“Andy, seriously?”

 

He started but was shushed by the other Faery as they stepped into a building. 

 

“Andy!” 

 

An excited voice rang out to greet them and Gerard didn’t need to be told that this was Lynz; Andy talked about her frequently enough. She came running out from the back of the store, which Gerard quickly realized was an apothecary. 

 

“Who is your friend?” 

 

“A Seelie, Gerard, that needs your help. Please, Lynz.” 

 

Gerard looked up as she gasped and reached for him. 

 

“Bring him in the back room and keep that hood up until you’re safe behind the curtain.” 

 

She shooed them quickly through and ran up front to lock the door. Andy sat Gerard on a stool and offered him the water again but this time Gerard refused. Lynz came into the room and nudged Andy out of her way, looking Gerard over carefully. 

 

“If Andy is bringing a Seelie into the City it must be serious. Let me have a look at you.” 

 

She gently pushed back the hood and let the cloak fall away from him, her eyes widening at Gerard’s bright colours. 

 

“Andy...he’s so…”

 

“I know, but he’s sick. He’s barely been able to keep anything down. Even water seems to be coming back up.” 

 

“Well first of all how long has he been in this Realm?” 

 

She looked up at Andy in obvious concern. Gerard hadn’t worn his paint in years and the faint stain from repeated application over hundreds of years had even worn off long ago. That was a good indication that he’d been here a while and they all knew that. Gerard had painfully counted the days for a long time but it grew harder to guess how much time had passed in the Human Realm and he grew weary of it and the pain it caused him. 

 

“It’s been a fair few Human years but I’ve been bringing him Seelie magic to ward off the effects of that. He can’t glamour well but he shouldn’t be sick like this.” 

 

“Why is he even here?” 

 

“I was banished,” 

 

Gerard muttered weakly. 

 

“Most banished Faeries are sent to the Human Realm. They live shorter lives there but they don’t get sick like this because both magics exist in the Human Realm. Despite the Iron and Technology it’s actually better for Faeries than the opposite Faery Realm.” 

 

“We know that. He’s not allowed in the Human Realm for another...almost ninety years of their time I think.”

 

She looked at him incredulously. 

 

“What did you do?” 

 

Gerard hung his head avoiding her judgemental gaze. 

 

“My Soulmate…...is a human.” 

 

Her jaw dropped in shock. 

 

“Ok...how old are they?”

 

Gerard thought about it for a minute.

 

“He’d be about...sixteen right now. Give or take.” 

 

She frowned as she turned around, looking over the shelves behind her until she found the section she wanted and reached for one of the many books. Gerard looked at the shelves and she had books on almost everything but the section she reached for was all Soulmates. He hadn’t seen books out in the store so this must be where she kept all the information. She skimmed it in quiet frustration for a while before putting it back and grabbing a different one. She found something that made her roll her eyes before reading it aloud. 

 

“I knew I’d read this before; Human Soulmates create a strange bond that allows for some unusual effects, among those being that any unfaithfulness can be felt and will cause extreme illnesses or escalate illnesses already present. The cause of this is not known and nor is a cure.” 

 

She put the book back and looked at Gerard before sighing heavily. 

 

“I hate to tell you this but...I think you being sick is because your Soulmate...is...uh...well he’s a teenager...and Human teenagers are very...I’d wager he’s found himself a...companion.” 

 

“I believe the Human term for it is they’re sleeping together,” 

 

Andy offered. Gerard wasn’t sure he’d heard it said that way before but from Lynz’s hesitation he gathered what they meant. 

 

“So, he bedded someone. Why does that make me sick?” 

 

“Because you’re not in your own home where Seelie magic can protect you from it. You’re already sick from the Winter and the Unseelie magic surrounding you and while the amulet does offer you some relief from that this escalates it. Human-Faery bonds are uncommon and as a result there have been said to be some side effects, like this illness. Your Soul feels the betrayal and your weakened body is reacting.” 

 

She sighed and rested a hand on his shoulder. 

 

“Can you help him?” 

 

“Not unless I can get him back to the Seelie Realm or to his Soulmate.” 

 

“Unless you can get around a Royal Curse, given by the Seelie King himself, I don’t see that happening.” 

 

“I can try. The connection is two way though so I have to be careful what I do to Gerard or his Soulmate may be affected.” 

 

Gerard frowned deeply at the implications of that. 

 

“Please don’t hurt him.” 

 

“I’ll try not to. I’m going to go through a few more books I have upstairs to see what I can find. Help yourself to whatever in here, it may take me awhile.”

 

She gave them both a look before leaving the room. They sat in silence for a while, unsure of what to do but eventually they curled up to read books found on her shelves. Gerard couldn’t help think of Frank. What had he grown up to look like. Did he look like the vision Gerard had when he was a baby? Who had he chosen to be with in Gerard’s absence? He felt sure that a long time had passed with him sitting there reading. Andy left a few times and came back with food, even taking food up to Lynz. He offered some to Gerard but he didn’t want to risk it. If he had to guess it may have been a day or two of Human time that passed but he was never sure anymore. He felt his stomach twist and he hissed as he doubled over. Whoever Frank had chosen needed to find something better to do. Andy caught hold of Gerard and steadied him on the stool. 

 

“Again?” 

 

“Yeah, I think so.This is starting to get on my last nerve. I want to be able to eat without being terrified it’ll come right back up, lack of food is making this worse.” 

 

Andy grumbled and sighed for a minute before he looked at Gerard.

 

“Wait...connection goes both ways…” 

 

Andy raised an eyebrow and sort of leaned towards Gerard but he realized what Andy intended to do and put up his hands to stop him. 

 

“No, you’re not allowed to hurt him.” 

 

“I’m not going to. Humans are delicate creatures and if he feels ill he’ll stop. He may not bounce back as fast as you but that’s not necessarily a bad thing right now.” 

 

Gerard looked at him doubtfully. 

 

“Look, Gerard, I’m not saying we’ll go that far but there’s a chance that it’ll make them stop, at least for now. Even if he throws up it’ll be once, not continuously like you’ve been going through.” 

 

Gerard groaned as his stomach flipped violently. He cried out as it forced him to heave even though his stomach was empty. He nodded to Andy and waited for a momentary break in the pain before he looked up at the Unseelie. Andy quickly leaned down to kiss him, making the tightness and spasms in Gerard’s gut disperse and he knew all too well that Andy was right but it didn’t stop completely so he pulled him closer. Andy forced Gerard’s mouth to open and kissed him to the point of breathlessness. It was Andy that finally pulled away but only to move his mouth to Gerard’s neck, making him moan as he caught his breath again. He relaxed into it and then snapped out of it as he realized. 

 

“Andy, it’s gone. I feel ok now.” 

 

Andy moved back to look at Gerard. 

 

“Guess that worked then.” 

 

He kissed Gerard’s forehead gently and moved back to his own seat. 

 

“Do you want to try eating something now?” 

 

Gerard shook his head. He really didn’t want to push his luck at this point. 

 

“Maybe just some water right now.” 

 

Andy nodded and pulled his water skin from his belt to offer it to Gerard. He took a few sips uncertainly and waited to see how his stomach would react before he took anymore. Lynz came back down the ladder with a large book in her hands. 

 

“So I have an idea but I’m not entirely sure it’ll actually work.” 

 

She looked up and snickered at Andy. 

 

“You know if you want to stay low profile when you kiss someone you may not want to wear paint.” 

 

Andy’s eyes went a little wide and he ducked away out of the room. She turned her gaze on Gerard once he was gone. 

 

“And you have his paint on you.” 

 

She snickered as Gerard turned bright red and looked at his feet. She set the book aside and pulled the loose end of her sleeve up over her hand to try and wipe it off his face as gently as possible. 

 

“He made them stop so I could have a break from feeling sick right now.” 

 

“I’m not judging, I’m amused actually. Maybe a little jealous.” 

 

She grinned at him and looked back at the book. 

 

“So...there’s one thing that I think we might be able to do. You can’t stay in the Human Realm, your curse won’t allow that. However, humans live in the Faery Realms all of the time as pets.” 

 

Gerard grumbled and made a face at that. 

 

“I’m not saying he’d be a pet but that he can survive here. The problem is that only you know how to find him and he’s not going to believe one of us.” 

 

“But I can’t even go to the Human Realm, we’ve established that.” 

 

Gerard shook his head. 

 

“In theory, yes. This is the part I’m unsure of. I might be able to trick the curse by making it think you’re still here but only for a little while.” 

 

“How would you do that?” 

 

Andy asked as he returned with his paint wiped clean and fixed. 

 

“Well that involves you actually. Because you already hold Unseelie magic and more of it won’t make you sick I might be able to use that. I think if I amplify it a little I can hide him but only for a while and you wouldn’t be able to go far from him.” 

 

Lynz looked at Gerard and smiled hopefully. 

 

“If your Soulmate is here, and if he’s with you, that should eliminate the issue and you won’t get sick anymore.” 

 

Andy looked at Gerard and shrugged. 

 

“I haven’t been to the Human Realm in a while so it’s up to you. Do you want to try this?” 

 

Gerard thought about it for a long moment in silence. He didn’t know what could really go wrong but a few thoughts started to nag him. What if Frank was happy with whoever he’d been with? What if he didn’t want anything to do with Gerard? And most importantly, what if Gerard couldn’t find him in time? It all made his head spin but could he really spend the rest of the hundred years being violently ill every time Frank bedded another human? 

 

“What other choice do I really have?” 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You don’t have to take care of me like this. You know that, right?” 
> 
> “I know but what kind of boyfriend would I be if I just left you like this. Go back to sleep and I’ll let your mom know you’re staying in bed today. I’ll get some food and then I’ll come back. Ok?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY BIRTHDAY ***wescottwomen*** I love you so much and I wish I could show you that in a better way but it's true. You're an absolute delight of a human being and you bring so much happiness to my life. (shhhhh I know I'm late and it's past midnight but I love you everyday so I don't care)

Bob sighed as Frank relaxed and started to breathe easier. He didn’t know what had brought on the sudden nausea and pain but Frank got sick pretty easily so it could have been anything. It seemed to pass as quickly as it started but neither of them was willing to risk it. Bob carefully took a cloth to Frank’s face to help clean off any sweat or vomit. Frank didn’t even bother fighting with him. When he was done he scooped Frank up in his arms and carried him to the bed to tuck him back in. Frank smiled at the warmth and softness of his bed and Bob could tell just how much that episode had tired Frank out. 

 

“You don’t have to take care of me like this. You know that, right?” 

 

“I know but what kind of boyfriend would I be if I just left you like this. Go back to sleep and I’ll let your mom know you’re staying in bed today. I’ll get some food and then I’ll come back. Ok?” 

 

Frank nodded, a weak smile on his face. Bob grinned wide and leaned down to kiss his forehead. He hated that it took so much out of Frank every time something upset his system. Frank usually tried to fight it but it wasn’t hard to see the struggle it took if you knew him. Bob threw on his shorts and hoodie before he headed down to the kitchen where he knew Frank’s mom would be, quietly working on something. 

 

“Um, hey, so Frank isn’t feeling good. I got him to stay in bed. I’m gonna go out and get some food and I’ll be back.” 

 

Bob awkwardly stood there till she looked up. 

 

“Oh, is he ok?”

 

“I think so, just needs rest.” 

 

“Ok, see you in a bit then. Be careful dear, it’s looking like a storm out there.”

 

“I will.” 

 

Bob nodded before he backed out of the room and went for the door. She was a fairly nice woman so it honestly felt bad to lie to her about where he was going. He hated lying to Frank even more but he couldn’t do much about it right now. He walked quickly down the street for about five blocks and then turned left and kept going that way for two. Bert was on his front porch when Bob got there. Bert was one of the older kids at school and Bob had never paid him much attention till a month of so after he and Frank had been together. 

 

“Bobby! You’re here. I didn’t know when you’d come over again. You done playing the good boyfriend for the day?” 

 

“Frank is sick so I got him to try and sleep it off. I’ve got a couple hours.” 

 

Bert hummed and got up to take Bob’s hand and lead him inside the house. 

 

“That’s more than enough time for me.” 

 

Bert dragged him into the bedrooms and kissed him possessively. 

 

“I hate sharing you with that kid, honestly I don’t know why you don’t dump him.” 

 

“Do you really want to see a punk cry?” 

 

“Hmmm, no, I guess not. That’s an eyeliner mess waiting to happen. So piss him off and make him dump you.” 

 

Bob thought for a minute and considered it. 

 

“That might work.” 

 

He grinned and pinned Bert up against a wall, making the smaller boy grin.

 

“Oh, this is gonna be good.” 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank woke up to darkness and the weight of Bob’s arm around him. He stretched a little and rolled over to face Bob. 

 

“Feeling better?” 

 

Frank nodded happily.

 

“Yeah, a lot better. I don’t know what is was but it’s wasn’t serious, I guess.” 

 

“That’s good.” 

 

Bob smiled as Frank cuddled into him. 

 

“I brought food, as promised.” 

 

“You, Bob Bryar, are a saint.”

 

Frank kissed him before carefully rolling out of bed to go find said food. Bob followed him to the kitchen with a heavy silence weighing over him. 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank headed from his last class to his locker, where Bob would be waiting for him. It’d been a long day and he wanted his boyfriend to make him forget about it. Bob was good at that, it was easy for Frank to bury his face in Bob’s chest and just forget about everything. His breaths always deep and even, always willing to wrap his arms tightly around Frank and keep him warm and safe. When he got to his locker, though, Bob was nowhere to be seen. He grabbed his stuff and dumped his textbooks in his locker before shutting it with a sigh. Bob had gym last period so maybe he was held back or something and was just in the change room. 

 

Frank set off in that direction and hummed idly to himself. The gym was on the other end of the school so he watched for Bob in the faces going the other way but didn’t see him. He got to the change room and frowned as he opened the door. The noise coming from the showers sounded like someone was getting fucked and good. He doubted Bob would be in here still if that was what was going on but he looked around the wall in front of the door and saw no one. He did, however, see Bob’s backpack and clothes. He ventured a little further, his heart sinking as he hoped he was wrong. It was too much moaning, and from more than one person, for it just to be Bob jacking off. As Frank got to the doorway of the showers he could see Bob with some Senior against the wall and he felt his heart shatter. 

 

“You have got to be fucking kidding me.” 

 

Frank spat and watched Bob startle and stop. The older boy just looked at Frank and grinned, he knew what was going on. 

 

“Frank!” 

 

Bob pulled away from the boy and looked like he meant to move toward Frank. 

 

“Don’t even, Bob, I hope he’s amazing because you and I are fucking done.” 

 

Frank spun on his heel and left with the other boy’s laugh following him out. He walked out the nearest exit and found himself facing the football field and the woods beyond that. He always felt better among the trees near his house but this would do. He took off towards them without a second thought about it and the tears already burning his eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I think…I feel him.”
> 
> The dark haired one shook his head.
> 
> “That’s not what I’m feeling. We’re close to a lot of iron…”
> 
> “City, maybe? I can’t feel that quite as much.”
> 
> “Well that’s fine. We need to find him.”

Gerard watched Lynz work quietly until she had some kind of potion to hold out to him. He looked at her curiously. 

 

“This should link you to Andy and allow his magic to hide you. I don’t know how long it’ll last but my best guess is a couple of days at the absolute most. I can put the rest in a bottle for you. All you have to do after that is go through a Gate.” 

 

Gerard nodded and took the cup from her warily. 

 

“And the price of this?” 

 

“I arranged that with Andy already. He’s the one that asked me to help you.” 

 

She grinned at Andy and Gerard decided he just didn’t want to know. 

 

“Ok...so I drink this and go through a Gate...and that’s it? I just go find him?”

 

Lynz nodded and smiled encouragingly. 

 

“I think you should wait until we’re standing at the right Gate.”

 

Andy piped up and Gerard nodded.

 

“That sounds like the most logical thing to do.” 

 

Gerard looked at Lynz for her approval and got it in the form of a quick nod.

 

“So now I think we need to do a little bit of preparation for our trip.” 

 

Andy looked at Lynz. 

 

“We’re in the city, so I can get a lot of what we need at the market. Can he stay with you?” 

 

“As long as he doesn’t mind helping out around the shop.” 

 

Gerard nodded to her that he was fine with that and Andy smiled before ducking out the door. Lynz immediately turned on him. 

 

“Alright you, my shop has been closed long enough and you are going to help me sort that out.” 

 

She grabbed his hand to pull him out to the front of the shop. 

 

“Woah, wait. If your customers see me…” 

 

“You can’t glamour...I forgot...that’s ok because I can.” 

 

She smiled at him and he felt a little tingly as she concentrated. 

 

“There, look in the mirror over there.” 

 

She gestured at the one near the counter. He moved over to it and peaked in curiously. His once cardinal red hair was now raven black. It made him look paler than the red and his eyes stood out more. 

 

“Do Unseelie normally have bright green eyes?” 

 

“No, typically they don’t but it has happened. You’ll be fine and the glamour will wear off by the time Andy returns.” 

 

She gathered up a few bottles from the counter and handed them to him. 

 

“Each bottle has a label. Find the larger jars in the shop and fill them up.” 

 

Gerard took the little bottles and looked at the shelves on the walls of the store. This was going to take a while. 

 

~~~~~

 

Andy gathered nearly everything they needed but he saw one stall that peaked his curiosity. It was run by a Seelie and he had all manner of plants and herbs, as well as paints. Gerard had long since exhausted the small thing of paint he’d had with him when Andy found him and hadn’t worn it since. The Seelie noticed him and frowned. 

 

“Can I help you?” 

 

“You have Seelie paints?”

 

“Yes, what do you need them for?” 

 

“A friend of mine. He hasn’t gotten his hands on any in a long time.” 

 

The Seelie Merchant frowned skeptically. 

 

“What colour?” 

 

Andy tried to remember what colour it had been. 

 

“Purple...a soft purple...but bright...lavender I think. It’s been a while.” 

 

“Does it glow in darkness?” 

 

“I believe so.” 

 

He looked at Andy, clearly suspicious of something.

 

“Not a chance. The only Faery that I’ve seen wear paint like that is Elena’s eldest grandson. He would never befriend an Unseelie. Gee is better than that.” 

 

“Gerard doesn’t seem to have a problem with me and I don’t know of any Elena. I’ve seen his paint and I am nearly certain that was the colour.” 

 

“Lady Elena is well respected in the Seelie Court. Gerard is Gee’s name but after what happened to his parents I don’t see him associating with the likes of you.” 

 

Andy growled in frustration. 

 

“You know as well as I do that Fae cannot lie.” 

 

“No but direct truth is so easily avoided.” 

 

“I’m willing to pay you well for the paint. I want to give it to him as a gift to cheer him up a bit.” 

 

The Seelie studied him uncertainly for a minute and made a face. He was more than a little apprehensive of trusting Andy. He watched the Unseelie carefully for a minute. The cloud of concern did not leave his mind at the revelation that he was telling the truth, instead it grew. 

 

“Is he alright?” 

 

“No, but we’re working to fix that. He will be alright.” 

 

The Seelie nodded and dug through his bag for a minute. 

 

“I don’t even sell this. I’ve been holding onto it for him for a while because usually he lets me know when he’s getting low but this time I never heard from him. You make sure this gets to him or I will find you and I will make your day much worse than anything you’ve face before.” 

 

The Seelie glared at him and Andy just nodded quietly as he accepted the small container of paint. 

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard stood looking at the Gate, feeling more nervous than he had in a long time. He didn’t know what Frank would look like anymore, he also doubted very much that Frank would remember him. Lynz handed him the potion and watched him carefully as he drank it. It sent a sharp icy pain through him but once it subsided he felt only a strange tingle. 

 

“Only one way to know if it worked. But first I got you something.”

 

He handed Gerard a small glass container filled with a familiar shade of lavender. 

 

“Where did you get this?” 

 

“A Seelie vendor in the city. Apparently he’d been holding onto some for you. Said you’re the only one he’s ever seen wear it.” 

 

“I am...it was something my grandmother had designed for me. This...this is what took you so long? Thank you.” 

 

Andy smiled reassuringly and motioned for him to step through. Gerard took a deep breath and stepped forward. He half expected to feel himself being hurled back into the Unseelie but instead he was hurled forward onto solid ground. He lifted his head to find himself blinded by the sunlight. 

 

“You alright, Gee?” 

 

~~~~~

 

Frank curled up against the base of a tree. He wanted to cry or scream but nothing came. His mind raced with questions that he knew he likely wouldn’t want the answer to. How long had it been going on? Why would Bob do this? Had he only pretended to care about Frank? How many times had Bob gone from the other boy to Frank, or vice versa, immediately? Finally the tears burned his eyes and he didn’t fight it. He let them fall, sobs breaking through him. He hugged his knees and buried his face. His mind scanned frantically over every memory, and every conversation, searching for how many times he’d been lied to. It didn’t make it easier knowing that Bob had been his friend before this. He knew almost everything about Frank, and Frank had thought he knew everything about Bob. 

 

He was drawn out of his thoughts by noise further into the trees. He looked at where it sounded like it was coming from and wiped his face on his sleeve before pushing himself up onto his knees. Whatever it was was very loud and sounded like something he should leave alone but something in him just wouldn’t let him. Instead he stood shakily and followed the noise. As he walked it got louder. He came upon a small clearing at the edge of a stream. At first, he thought he was imagining the glowing spot on the riverbed but it grew and looked like an opening. When two men were hurled through it onto the banks, Frank jumped back and ducked behind a tree.

 

They started to stir after a minute and Frank could only see the one from where he was. When he stood he was very tall and slender, his face was an almost snowy white colour with sharp angles that made him look almost menacing and yet somehow beautiful. His shocking blue eyes and long black hair were such a contrast to the paleness of his skin. That wasn’t what really caught his attention though. It was the dark blue paint that marked his face and his deep, rough voice.

 

“You alright, Gee?”

 

“Yeah, I feel fine so far. You hit your head pretty hard though.”

 

“I’m fine. My head is as hard as a block of ice.”

 

Frank watched the grin on his face and heard the other one, Gee, chuckle. Frank leaned around the tree and his breath caught in his throat. He felt a little dizzy, this had to be a dream. It felt real but it couldn’t be, could it? Gee…was the man from his dream. The man from his childhood drawings. But that wasn’t possible. He wasn’t real and if he was he’d be much older now. Something felt off and it was starting to freak Frank out a bit.

 

“Do you feel that?”

 

The dark haired one turned towards where Frank was.

 

“I feel…something…”

 

Gee wrinkled up his nose like he was concentrating on something. Then his eyes went impossibly wide.

 

“I think…I feel him.”

 

The dark haired one shook his head.

 

“That’s not what I’m feeling. We’re close to a lot of iron…”

 

“City, maybe? I can’t feel that quite as much.”

 

“Well that’s fine. We need to find him.”

 

Frank wasn’t sure what they were talking about anymore but was starting to worry that maybe he’d lost his mind. He took off running back towards the school, the sounds of their confused voices trailing off behind him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Why?"
> 
> "I...I fucked up and I hurt him."

Frank sat in his room curled up on his bed. He didn’t even know how much of today was even real and it scared him. He heard a knock on his bedroom door.

 

“Who is it?”

 

Instead of an answer the door opened and Bob stepped in.

 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“Frank…I just.”

 

“No, Bob, fuck off back to your little slut.”

 

Bob flinched at Frank’s harsh tone.

 

“He got bored with me, apparently I wasn’t his only toy and once you dropped me he no longer had an interest.”

 

“Good.”

 

“Frank, I know I fucked up, I’m sorry.”

 

“I don’t want to hear it, Bob, sorry isn’t just going to fix you cheating on me.”

 

Frank grew more and more irritated with him.

 

“It was a stupid mistake, Frank, please let me try to fix this.”

 

“You want to fix this?”

 

Frank hardened his glare but Bob nodded.

 

“Can you honestly tell me that he meant nothing and that you ever actually cared about me.”

 

“Of course, I care about you. I always did and that didn’t change.”

 

Frank waited but Bob didn’t say anything else.

 

“But he wasn’t nothing. Do us both a favour and just leave.”

 

“Frank-.”

 

“And don’t come back.”

 

Bob watched Frank’s face for a minute, before he leaned down to try and kiss him. Frank turned his face away. Bob stopped and looked at Frank, his eyes pleading.

 

“I can’t say he meant nothing because he fooled me into believing there was more to it.”

 

Frank looked at Bob.

 

“You expect me to believe that he used you?”

 

“I don’t expect you to believe me or trust me right now but I wish you’d give me the chance to earn it back.”

 

“Fine, but you can do that as my friend because I wasn’t kidding when I said we were done. I won’t date someone who’s going to mess around and cheat on me.”

 

Bob nodded and gently kissed Frank’s cheek before backing off.

 

“I can do that for now. As long as it takes.”

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard and Andy walked through the trees until they reached open air. Neither was altogether sure what had fled into the trees while they were talking but it was likely a rabbit or something. Andy let Gerard lead him but if he was honest with himself Gerard had no idea where he was or where he was meant to be going. They wandered out towards the large building carefully. There were some humans around but not many. One group was huddled behind the sporting area's seating. Gerard didn't remember what games the human played but he was willing to bet they were nothing like Faery gaming events. The humans were all smoking and a few were passing a bottle back and forth. Gerard hadn't known that human's smoked. He wasn't sure it was the same thing but he was willing to say it could be similar at least. They learned a lot of things from Faeries before the Faeries hid themselves away more.

 

The humans laughed at something one of them said and Gerard winced away from the harsh sound.

 

"You should have seen the look on the little bitch's face. He was devastated. It was pathetic. And then I ditched his stupid boyfriend. It's not as fun to play when there's no challenge."

 

Gerard wrinkled up his nose at the conversation. This boy seemed older than the other and crueler. The second boy sneered and shook his head.

 

"Oreo is honestly just pathetic though, like he's never at school because he's always sick. I don't know why his mom doesn't just home school him so the rest of us don't have to deal with him."

 

"Wait...how do you actually say his name? I've only heard it as Oreo but someone said today that that's just like a nickname I guess."

 

A girl interjected and the older boy raised an eyebrow under his ratty looking hair.

 

"I think Bob said his name once but I wasn't listening. He liked to ramble a lot. I bet Bob ran right back to him too. All apologies and promises."

 

"Bets on whether or not they're back together next time we see them?"

 

"Oh absolutely, twenty bucks says that Oreo is pathetic enough to take Bryar back."

 

The second boy laughed. They had to be children but only just barely. They were cruel and heartless, Gerard thought to himself. Their vicious games sounded like the same kind that the Unseelie liked to play sometimes with humans. It made him shudder and look at Andy, who looked equally disgusted.

 

"I doubt if any of them is your Frank."

 

Andy looked hopeful about this and Gerard shook his head.

 

"Frank has pretty hazelly eyes as far as I remember and he was very small for his age when he was a baby."

 

"I don't know, that gross one isn't exactly tall."

 

"No. No way is that him. I think...I should know when I see him. Right?"

 

Andy shrugged and looked at the group.

 

"They are about the right age though, aren't they? They said something about school. Maybe this is a human school. Frank could be here."

 

"Well...yeah...I guess. We can't...we can't ask them, can we?"

 

"Not like this. I can't glamour both of us enough for us to blend in either. We're lucky they're old enough not to be able to see us in the first place."

 

"So...what then?"

 

"We...could find some human clothes? We have long enough hair to cover our ears and I can glamour our teeth at least. That should be easy enough."

 

Gerard thought about that for a minute and nodded. Andy grabbed him by the arm and they wandered away a bit.

 

"Where do we find human clothes?"

 

"Well...we look. That's all I've got for this one."

 

"Helpful."

 

Andy grinned as Gerard shook his head. They wandered further into the more populated area and it became harder to hide properly. Andy spotted a store.

 

"Andy, we cannot just steal things."

 

"We won't."

 

"I don't think humans accept favours as trade."

 

"No. Lynz had some human money from the last time she was here. She gave it to me figuring we might need it."

 

"You are gonna owe her so much by the time this is over."

 

"Nothing I didn't already want to give her."

 

Andy grinned and Gerard shook his head vigorously.

 

"I don't want to know."

 

Andy pulled Gerard into a store that had clothes in the window. He moved around the store quietly while Gerard watched. He came back with clothes tucked under his arm. Gerard knew the humans couldn't see anything but it still made him a little nervous. Andy went over to the counter and for a minute he wasn't sure what he planned to do but he snuck around the counter to the computer. He took the tags off, scanning each of them. He left all of the tags and the money on the counter before stuffing their clothes in a bag and heading back around to Gerard. They wandered out and into the nearest alley.

 

"Feel better now? I paid."

 

"Yes. A little."

 

Andy pulled out some pants, a shirt, and jacket for Gerard and handed them to him. They both changed quickly and quietly. Gerard thought the pants were a little tight but it wasn't uncomfortable so he didn't complain. Andy wore a shirt that completely exposed his arms up to the shoulder and pants similar to Gerard's. Gerard frowned though at the dark blue paint that was now plainly visible and out of place. He grabbed a soft piece of Andy's normal clothes and rubbed at the paint. When Andy realized what Gerard was trying to do he stood still and let him clean it all off.

 

"There. Now you don't look like such a misfit."

 

Gerard chuckled and grinned up at Andy.

 

"I'll remember that."

 

Andy helped him gather up all their stuff into their packs and headed back out into the street. Gerard felt Andy peel back their glamour and realized that now they'd be seen. They walked back the way they come but when they reached the spot where they'd seen the kids there was no one there.

 

"Oh, for the love of Puck."

 

"Do not bring up that old fool."

 

Gerard glared at Andy.

 

"He's long gone and dead and he was a master of comedy and pranks."

 

"He was an idiot who cared about nothing and no one but himself and whether he could get a laugh out of something. The only reason he lived so long is that the old King saw some kind of value in his wickedness."

 

"Don't tell me you knew him? I know you're old enough to have known him but like...your family isn't that high up...is it?"

 

Gerard grumbled and sighed.

 

"Puck...was my Grandmother's brother."

 

"Woah...wait...that's who Lady Elena is?"

 

"Yes, that's how he got his position as court jester. He was a Lord who fell from his status but the King took favour of him and gave him a place closer within his court. The official title was Jester but he was more than that. The King...was fond of him and listened to his advice. He was Oberon's eyes and ears. But he was also a heartless moron."

 

"I think Queen Mab was fond of Puck as well...though maybe not in the same way. If anything, she liked him because he was heartless. He's spoken of pretty highly among the Unseelie which is rarely said of the Seelie."

 

"Titania, Oberon's wife, hated Puck. He went as far as to play a cruel joke on her and cause the King to cast her aside. She was still his wife and Queen but he paid her no attention and she wasn't taken seriously anymore. She was like an exiled prisoner in her own home because of Puck. He was a fool through and through and liked to meddle in things he shouldn't."

 

"What did he do to Titania?"

 

"Did you hear about the Midsummer?"

 

"Oh, that. Yeah, I guess that would do it. I think I've heard the human version of that and it's nothing like what I heard happened."

 

"Humans like to be creative with what little they know of our kind."

 

Gerard sighed and looked around. He didn't see anyone else around.

 

"So, what do we do now?"

 

"I'm not really sure. Maybe we can wait until we see someone? Do you remember where you saw him last?"

 

"I remember what the house looked like but I don't know that he'd still be there or how to get there from here."

 

"Well...maybe we can find it by something nearby?"

 

"It was near a park. There was a gate there."

 

"Ok...so that'd be a park with a lot of trees. Like a wooded area. If we can find any human we can ask them where that would be."

 

Gerard nodded and they began walking back into the populated area of the city.

 

~~~~~

 

Frank lay there, sprawled out on his bed, on top of the covers. It was too hot in his room. Bob had left and Frank was left to wonder if he'd done the right thing. Should he have just told Bob to get lost? Should he have given him another chance? Had he done right by giving him neither? He wasn't even sure. It'd seemed right at the time but now it was just confusing. He rolled over and grumbled. His mind was a mess today.

 

The incident in the woods wasn't helping. Frank stared at his closet for a solid minute before huffing and pushing himself up to go over to it. He reached up and pulled out the box and went back to his bed. The crown was real so maybe that meant that what he'd seen was also real. He picked it up in his hands and sighed.

 

"Or maybe I'm just totally crazy."

 

He looked out his window. It was already dark out but it wouldn't be the first time he'd snuck out in the dead of night. He pushed off his bed and grabbed his backpack, emptying it out to put the crown in it. He might be crazy but he didn't want anyone else to know that. He pulled on a hoodie and padded out to the front door quietly. His mom was asleep in the living room chair again with her work in her lap. He shook his head and shoved his feet into his shoes before sneaking out. He wasn't sure what he was going to do but maybe where he'd found the crown was a good place to start. He started walking and was ready for this all to just be nothing but he hoped that maybe he could find some explanation.

 

~~~~~

 

Mikey growled at the sight of his brother in the human world. He wasn't sure how'd they'd found a way around the curse but he'd have to tell the King. First though, maybe he'd pay that little human a visit and make sure his brother wouldn't find him. Mikey took off in the direction of the house. He'd kept tabs all these years, watching to see when he would die. In truth, Mikey missed Gerard but rules were rules for a reason. He walked briskly, knowing that the human would likely be in bed by now. He'd snuck out a few times but usually with the bigger boy that he seemed to be dating.

 

He turned onto the street the house was on and raised an eyebrow. The bigger boy was hovering around the end of the street. Mikey looked up to see a bus stop and shook his head. Busses stopped running hours ago. He was a strange human, Mikey had never seen anyone like him. He also knew that he was messing around behind Frank's back with some other boy that was using him. It was a mess and Mikey didn't know why he even paid attention.

 

As Mikey got closer the boy looked up, right at him, making Mikey stop in his tracks.

 

"What are you wearing? You part of some kind of Theatre thing? Cause that is one lame costume."

 

The boy said and Mikey tilted his head. How could this boy have the sight? Most lost it by the time they reached his age.

 

"You see me?"

 

Mikey said, dumbfounded. He hadn't seen a human with the sight in so long he wondered if it had stopped happening altogether.

 

"Uh...yeah. I'm not blind and you're dressed like a freak."

 

"I..."

 

Mikey stepped closer to him cautiously.

 

"You realize the busses don't run anymore, right?"

 

"Yeah, I just missed the last one."

 

"That was hours ago."

 

"I know. I just...don't have enough for a cab and I don't really have anyone I can call for a ride...I don't even know what I'm doing anymore."

 

"Oh...and you can't walk home?"

 

"It's a bit of a long walk."

 

Mikey studied him for a minute. He had clear blue eyes and a soft face. He was taller than Mikey, which wasn't something Mikey was all that used to.

 

"What are you doing out here?"

 

"Oh...I was...going to see an old friend actually..."

 

"Don't let me stop you then."

 

Mikey hesitated for a second and frowned before holding out his hand.

 

"I'm Mikey..."

 

The boy raised an eyebrow before shrugging and saying.

 

"Hi. I'm Bob."

 

When he touched Mikey's hand they both jolted and looked at each other. Mikey felt like every nerve ending was fried and he just stood there looking at Bob in a wide-eyed shock. Bob grimaced like he was in pain but he straightened out and frowned at Mikey.

 

"What the fuck was that?"

 

"I...you...no, this cannot be happening...the chances of...no."

 

Mikey mumbled and pulled his hand away, stumbling a little. Bob reached out to catch him.

 

"Easy. Deep breaths. What just happened? And what is wrong with you?"

 

"I..."

 

Mikey looked down and a little noise escaped Bob making him look back up quickly.

 

"How did I not notice...what?"

 

He reached a hand up to turn Mikey's face and Mikey realized that Bob had finally noticed Mikey wasn't just some human in costume.

 

"What are you?"

 

"If I told you I was a Faery would you believe me?"

 

Bob raised an eyebrow at him.

 

"I thought fairies had wings."

 

"No. Like...what was that old fool's name...Shakespeare?"

 

"Oh...one of those...I don't know that I have much choice but to believe it. What else would explain the teeth and ears?"

 

Mikey couldn't help but grin. He was terrified but Bob made it seem a little lighter to bear.

 

"You still didn't explain what just happened."

 

"You...we're...have you ever heard of soulmates?"

 

"I've heard of it but I don't believe in that nonsense. How can there be one person for every person? What happens if one is born way before the other?"

 

"Well...I don't think soulmates are all that common among humans for that reason exactly. But Faeries...live for a long time..."

 

Bob furrowed his brows in confusion.

 

"So, you have time to find your soulmate at least."

 

"Yes. It doesn't happen often but sometimes...Faeries end up bonded with humans."

 

Bob just looked at him for a minute, mulling it over in his head.

 

"So, you're telling me..."

 

"I think...maybe..."

 

Bob frowned and stepped back a little. He looked wary.

 

"But you're like...you look like you're like thirty."

 

"Well if that's all I look like then I think I'm doing alright."

 

"Wait...how old are you?"

 

"How old are you?"

 

"I'm sixteen. A kid as far as you're concerned."

 

"Well...to me you're a baby. I'm seven thousand, four hundred and eighty-three in human years, give or take I guess."

 

Bob's eyes went wide and his mouth gaped at Mikey.

 

"I guess you are doing pretty good."

 

"My brother is older but looks younger."

 

Bob squirmed a little and frowned.

 

"So...if you're my soulmate then...what?"

 

"I...can understand if you're a little freaked out but I generally have never liked humans so this is new to me too."

 

"You don't like humans? Why?"

 

"You've hunted us for a long time...maybe not as much anymore but your developments and expansion drove us out of this Realm almost completely. Iron...makes us sick and can kill us."

 

"Iron? Of all things, iron?"

 

"We're very old, and from nature in it's purest forms."

 

"Iron comes out of the ground."

 

"Not in the form that you use it. You purify it and concentrate it and even in its raw form it's poison to us."

 

"I'll feel that in mind."

 

Mikey frowned at him but Bob leaned down and kissed Mikey. He jumped a little in surprise before melting into it. Nothing had ever felt quite that right before. It felt...he couldn't even describe it.

 

Then a realization washed over him and he broke the kiss. His eyes burned and tears spilled s he realized what he'd done.

 

"Woah, hey, what's wrong?"

 

"My...brother...what have I done..."

 

"What do mean?"

 

"He...years ago he...found his soulmate...he was human. Just a baby at the time and he took care of him. He wasn't doing anything, just protecting him. Faeries...if we have a human soulmate...it's illegal. I...turned him in. He's been banished all this time and separated from Frank...he can't return to home or the human realm for the entire duration of Frank's life."

 

"Frank?"

 

"Yeah, I...you know him...I'd seen you before and thought nothing of it...I've kept an eye on him but..."

 

"Woah, hold on. You've seen me before?"

 

"Just from a distance. I didn't know you were...I wasn't..."

 

Mikey shook his head and hid his face against Bob's chest. That felt safe and he didn't know how to explain himself.

 

"You didn't know until our hands touched. It's ok. So...your brother...he's...Frank's soulmate?"

 

Mikey nodded.

 

"My brother found a way around the curse. He's here in this realm...but -

likely not for long. I was...on my way to make sure he'd never find Frank. If you hadn't seen me...I would have..."

 

"Make sure he wouldn't find him?"

 

"Yeah, I could use magic to camouflage him from my brother."

 

Bob sighed heavily.

 

"Do you know where your brother is?"

 

"Heading for the park. They found a stranger who told them how to get there. It's where Gerard knows how to find Frank's house from."

 

"Frank is at home, Gerard will find him. Come on, it's not far. We can go check and see if Gerard made it there. If not, we'll go find him."

 

Mikey nodded and followed Bob. They got to the house and Mikey climbed up in the tree to peer in Frank's window. The boy wasn't there and neither was Gerard. His heart sank.

 

"Frank isn't home."

 

"What? He should be. He doesn't go out."

 

"Where would he go?"

 

"The...park? There's a spot there, under the trees, that he likes to sit when he needs to think...and he's a bit of a mess today..."

 

"Why?"

 

"I...I fucked up and I hurt him."

 

"He found out then I guess..."

 

"How did you...right, observing from a distance, nevermind."

 

"Sorry..."

 

"No, it's ok."

 

Mikey was surprised and raised an eyebrow at Bob's acceptance of it but just shook his head and looked around.

 

"The park is near here right?"

 

"If Frank is headed there and so is Gerard then they'll find each other. It'll be fine, Mikey."

 

Bob lead Mikey away with an arm around his waist.

 

"You're pretty confident for a human taking control of a Faery who's not fond of your kind."

 

"Yes, but can you honestly tell me that you'd hurt me?"

 

Mikey wrinkled up his nose but he couldn't argue with that. Something in him couldn't imagine hurting Bob, ever. It was weird and it felt...off.

 

"Can I ask you something, Mikey?"

 

Mikey looked up at him.

 

"You said it was illegal...what are you gonna do if someone finds out?"

 

Mikey frowned and his mind started to spin a little bit. What would he do? He didn't know. Would his punishment be worse than Gerard's? Probably. What would the King do to Bob? That weighed on him even more. It wasn't just about him. Bob was still young and he hadn't done anything wrong but the King wouldn't see it that way. Frank escaped punishment because he was a baby. Bob wasn't though. He was older.

 

"I'm gonna protect you. They won't hurt you. Not while I'm alive and breathing. If they want to punish someone they can punish me. It's not something either of us chose."

 

"How can they make something like that illegal?"

 

"I don't know. Not many people talk about it, and even fewer actually know the truth enough to talk about it. It has something to do with the King and his past though."

 

"So it's personal? He can just make laws because he is bothered by something personal."

 

"That's how Kings work. They can do what they want in the Faery Realm. They're usually king for a reason."

 

Bob made a face and shook his head.

 

"So...maybe someone needs to find out what did happen."

 

"The only person that knows is his wife and she hates him for it. They argue as much as Oberon and Titania did about it."

 

"Would she tell you?"

 

"She's very vain. If I can bring her something that pleases her or flatters her enough she may. She loves to give gifts to those who please her, sometimes she'll fill a request."

 

"So how do you do that?"

 

"I.....don't know. I don't really have any fine clothes or makeup or anything."

 

Bob raised an eyebrow.

 

"Well...what is her opinion of humans?"

 

"She's fascinated by them and thinks they make good toys and pets. That's a common practice among Faeries though. More so the Unseelie but there are Seelie who do it."

 

"You're gonna have to explain that later but what if we bring her something nice from this Realm? The makeup here is fancy as hell, and modern clothes might catch her attention."

 

Mikey looked at him in shock.

 

"That's not a bad idea...where can we find that kind of thing?"

 

"Nowhere right now. It's too late at night. But in the morning, we can go and find something. I've got some money saved at home that I don't really need and I think figuring this out might be worth it."

 

"How do we get to your home from here? You said it was a long walk."

 

"Oh it is, but if you walk with me it might not be as bad."

 

Mikey grinned.

 

"You realize that no one else can see me right, you're the only one so you're gonna look like you're talking to yourself."

 

"No one is out this late."

 

Bob took Mikey's hand and grinned at the Faery. Mikey rolled his eyes but smiled and walked with Bob.


	7. Chapter 7

Gerard frowned as they reached the park. Things were different. Buildings that hadn't been there before were now confusing his memory of the area. Andy rested a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

 

"Remember what it used to look like and find the things that haven't changed and follow them."

 

Gerard looked around. He saw the tree line, and knew that just beyond it was the Gate. He saw the tree he hid in while Frank played and smiled fondly at the memory of his little smile. He stopped and furrowed his brow when he saw something sitting at the roots though. It moved. A person, sitting with their back to the tree and their head tilted back to rest against the trunk. His heart fluttered a little and he paused.

 

"It can't be that easy...that...it...could that be him?"

 

"Only one way to find out and I'm gonna let you do this one by yourself."

 

Andy smiled and patted his shoulder.

 

"I won't go far but I'm gonna wander a bit."

 

Gerard nodded and felt Andy leave. He watched the person sitting at the bottom of the tree. It was hard to make out details from here but they looked like they were curled up. He took a deep breath before he started to move closer to them. As he got closer he saw that it was a young boy. He had dark hair and was very small, bundled up in a large comfy looking shirt that made him look even smaller. He got closer to him and stopped when the boy looked up. Gerard's heart stopped. He had the same pretty eyes and his face wasn't void of the boy Gerard remembered.

 

"Frank?"

 

"Who are you? How do you know me?"

 

Gerard took a deep breath and sat down across from him.

 

"I guess you don't remember me then."

 

"I do. Kind of. It's...fuzzy because I was little but...it's there. I don't understand it. And how you can still look pretty much the same."

 

"I didn't realize I'd changed."

 

"No, just the clothes...and the marks on your face are gone..."

 

"Oh...my paint. I haven't worn that in a long time. The clothes...I was trying to...it makes it easier to ask people about finding you if I look like a normal person."

 

"You were looking for me?"

 

Gerard's eyes started to sting as he nodded.

 

"I was never supposed to leave you in the first place...I'm so sorry."

 

"What happened?"

 

"It's a...very long and complicated story, but I'm here now...I just..."

 

Frank set something in his hands aside and crawled forward on his knees to hold Gerard's face in his hands.

 

"I'm not in any hurry to be anywhere, Gee."

 

"You...remember my name?"

 

"Not really. I saw you in the woods...it was what the other man called you."

 

"It was you that ran away...you were right there."

 

Gerard looked down, he should have known and he didn't know why he hadn't. He felt so stupid for not realizing.

 

"I didn't know what else to do. I was scared. I saw you...I thought I was losing it because there was no way you could possibly be real but you're here."

 

Frank sat in front of Gerard, so close their legs were touching.

 

"So what happened? You...were here...and then you were gone...why did you leave?"

 

"I meant to come back. I went home while you were asleep. But...when I got there...I broke a big rule in spending time with you and I was punished for it. They sent me far away and made it so that I couldn't come back as long as you were alive."

 

"How are you here now?"

 

"My friend, the one you saw me with in the woods, he and a friend of his helped me to find a way around it. They helped me find my way back so I could find you again."

 

"How did you even know me in the first place?"

 

"Frank...do you believe...in magic...and Faeries?"

 

Frank wrinkled up his nose.

 

"To an extent. I don't think that like Tinker Bell is real or anything but the stories have to come from somewhere."

 

"You're smart. I'm...a very old Faery. I found you by chance...or I guess by Fate. You were a very small baby, and when you cried I tried to shush you but when I touched you...something changed. My world just...flipped on its head. I was bound to you and I have been ever since."

 

Gerard sighed and looked at Frank who was just listening intently.

 

"For a few years I watched over you. Keeping you safe and happy. You were a very small and sick child and you had a particular talent for recklessness that led to you injuring yourself."

 

"What do you mean you're bound to me?"

 

"I...we call it soulmates, I'm not sure if humans do as well."

 

Frank nodded and seemed puzzled.

 

"It doesn't happen to humans often because you have short lifespans. It happens even less between a human and a Faery...and the King has made it illegal in the last two decades of human time...not long before you were born actually I think."

 

"How can he make it illegal if it's something you have no control over."

 

"He's King, he can do what he wants. We're supposed to leave the human behind and pretend it never happened. If we don't and he finds out..."

 

"What did they do to you?"

 

"I was banished. There are three main Realms. Seelie, where I'm from. Unseelie, where Andy is from. And this Realm. I was banished both from here and the Seelie...for the duration of your life."

 

"But you found a way around it."

 

"Yes."

 

Frank sat there for a minute.

 

"I had a dream about you..."

 

"You did?"

 

Gerard raised an eyebrow.

 

"Yeah. A little while ago. We were in a strange forest...it was very...different."

 

"What happened in your dream?"

 

"Um....."

 

Frank hesitated for a second and then pushed himself up onto his knees. Gerard watched him warily until Frank leaned forward and kissed him. Gerard kissed back, his whole body responding quickly. Frank crawled into his lap and moved his hands up Gerard's chest. Gerard hummed at the touch and smiled before breaking the kiss.

 

"Good dream then."

 

He muttered just loud enough for Frank to hear him. Frank smiled and nodded, wanting more but Gerard shook his head.

 

"Easy. We've got time. I'm not leaving you this time."

 

Frank pouted a little but sat back a bit. Gerard wrapped him up in a tight hug.

 

"Should get you home so your parents don't worry."

 

"My dad left a long time ago. It's just my mom. She's sleeping."

 

"And if she wakes up and finds you gone?"

 

"Good point..."

 

"Come on. I'll come with you."

 

"If she sees you she'll freak even more."

 

"Well then, I'll just have to hide, won't I?"

 

Frank nodded and crawled out of Gerard's lap. They started to leave when Frank stopped and turned back.

 

"I almost forgot this."

 

"Wha-"

 

Gerard stopped as he saw what it was. The antlers were still in perfect condition and the purple stone shone in the dim moonlight.

 

"How...I thought this was gone for good."

 

"I found it in the woods when I was a kid. I didn't know what it was but...it just...it was cool so I kept it. After a while I kind of remembered seeing you wear it."

 

"I took it off quite often because you liked to try and grab the sharp points. This is very old and very important to me and my family. It must have fallen back through the Gate when..."

 

Gerard shook his head.

 

"Thank you for looking after it for me."

 

Frank set it gently in Gerard's hands and lead him back towards the house.

 

"My name isn't Gee, by the way, that's a nickname. It's Gerard."

 

"That's...I'm gonna be honest, it's a weird name but you're not human so you get a pass."

 

Gerard laughed and shook his head. He was going to say something else but something bumped into him. He looked up to see Andy grinning like a fox.

 

"I'm bored."

 

He dragged the word out and leaned on Gerard.

 

"Andy, never have I wanted to smack you so much as I do right now."

 

"Oh, you love me. Hi Frank, I'm Andy. I've heard quite a bit about you and I'm glad he found you."

 

"Uh...hi."

 

Frank looked at the taller man warily. Andy just grinned and Gerard was somewhat relieved that Andy had relaxed back to himself a bit. They got to Frank's house and Frank sighed heavily.

 

"Now to try and get three of us in without making noise or being seen."

 

"We...could go in the way I used to..."

 

Frank looked at Gerard in mild concern.

 

"Is your room still in the same place?"

 

"Yeah...why were you sneaking into my room...?"

 

"Well I couldn't walk in through the front door when only you could see me now could I?"

 

"No...I guess not...I'm questioning your morality though."

 

"I watched over you while your parents slept. You didn't like to sleep when they wanted you to so you'd play with me until you were tired. You loved old Faery histories even though you didn't understand a word I was saying."

 

Frank raised an eyebrow but didn't question it further. Gerard led him over to the tree under his bedroom window and Frank frowned.

 

"Well aren't you a fucking hopeless romantic. Climbing trees to get into my bedroom like some rom-com teenager."

 

"I have no idea what that means but I remember a baby that loved to try to climb up into the trees to get me when his parents were around and I couldn't come down to play so shush or I'll tell Andy about the time you fell out of said tree."

 

Frank opened his mouth to say something and then shut it again as Gerard climbed up the tree to open the window. He climbed inside and looked back out at Frank and Andy. Frank made a face and looked to Andy who motioned him forward. Frank huffed and tried to climb up the tree. He got about halfway before he saw Gerard nod and felt Andy climb up behind him, lifting him up with him. Gerard reached out for Frank and pulled him inside. Andy climbed in behind him and shut the window quietly.

 

"I'm not a kid, I can climb a tree."

 

"Not quickly and I hear your mom moving around so you need to be in bed. Andy and I can hide just fine."

 

"Shit."

 

Frank kicked off his shoes and threw his hoodie back where it'd been before crawling into his bed and bundling himself under the covers. He frowned when Andy and Gerard only moved to the edge of the room and didn't actually hide. Sure enough, Frank's mom opened his door a few minutes later. She looked around for a minute and smiled at the sight of her son curled up in bed sleeping before closing the door and heading to her own room. Frank sat up and glared at them.

 

"Are you trying to get caught?"

 

"Only you can see us kid. Before everyone could but we can step back into the unseen easily. You, can see through it for some reason. Some humans just don't lose the sight."

 

Andy grinned and plopped himself onto Frank's beanbag chair.

 

"Wait...so no one can see you two..."

 

"Not if we don't want them to."

 

"Then why can I?"

 

"No one is really sure why some humans don't grow out of it. All kids can and we end up being what they call imaginary friends or guardian angels...though not all of us are so kind."

 

Gerard sighed and sat on the floor beside Andy.

 

"So...wait you said Seelie and Unseelie before...like...the Courts? And you said Andy was Unseelie...so he's one of those asshole ice faeries and you're just ok with that?"

 

Andy stuck out his tongue.

 

"This ice faery brought you back your soulmate so I'd watch who you go insulting. I happen to like humans and am pretty partial to Gerard being my friend. Don't go lumping faeries together and making assumptions that could get you hurt."

 

Frank looked at him wide eyed but Gerard became curious.

 

"What do you know about Faeries?"

 

"We're reading a Midsummer's Night Dream in English class right now and it's the worst piece of Shakespeare they could have picked. I read up on old English, Irish, and Scottish folklore last year for another project. Faeries are continually and heavily referenced and blamed for all kinds of things."

 

Gerard looked at Andy who shrugged.

 

"So...when I asked you if you believed..."

 

"Well I've never expressly believed it was accurate but like I said the stories have to come from somewhere so it's not like the biggest shock in the world that it could actually be true."

 

Gerard sat there for a minute, processing that. He wasn't sure anymore what stories the humans still passed on and what had been forgotten. He knew, of course, that Midsummer's Night Dream was an inaccurate account of the Midsummer incident that eventually led to Oberon and Puck's downfalls. Beyond that though he didn't know what'd been lost to time or what Frank may have read.

 

"Okay...so you have at least a base understanding then."

 

Frank shrugged.

 

"I'm guessing a lot of it is inaccurate though because my entire species is a very stupid one that likes to misinterpret and exaggerate things."

 

Andy giggled and hid his face in his hands as he lost it a little.

 

"At least the kid knows that."

 

"I'm not a kid."

 

"Are you eighteen?"

 

"No..."

 

"Then you're a kid."

 

Frank stuck his tongue out at Andy.

 

"Alright you two, cut that out."

 

"Well you're no fun."

 

"You already knew that, Andy. You spent over a decade with me."

 

"True."

 

Andy shrugged and leaned back, getting comfy. Gerard rolled his eyes and looked at Frank. He studied the boy and smiled softly. He was everything he could have imagined and yet nothing like what he'd thought. The sides of his hair were cut short and coloured. His eyes were brighter than he remembered. Gerard was even sure he saw some kind of dark coloured mark on the side of his neck, which made him frown. In the old days, sailors had marks like those and it was almost never a good thing.

 

"What is on the side of your neck?"

 

Frank raised an eyebrow.

 

"Uh.....the same thing that's on my wrist. It's a tattoo. Very illegally put there because I'm not eighteen but it's there. Mom wasn't happy but she got over it as long as I promised no more till I'm old enough. Why?"

 

Andy spoke up with a frown.

 

"Sailor's marks. I don't blame your mom for being upset. Not something kids should have."

 

"No, they're not."

 

"I mean, I know they have a not great history with like pirates and criminals and all but now they're mostly just seen as art. No different than your paint I guess but more permanent."

 

"Our paint is a status thing. Somewhere between makeup and a badge. We earn it. These...are they really just art to people now?"

 

"Yeah, mostly. You can tell your story through images on your body. It's not totally accepted by like...offices and stuff...but a lot of people have them now."

 

Frank shrugged as if it was nothing. Maybe to him it was but it confused Andy and Gerard greatly. The last time either of them had seen a Sailor's mark it was likely on a human trying to kill them or make a deal with them. Gerard shifted a little uncomfortably but shook his head. Frank was just a kid, he wasn't one of them and the marks didn't carry that weight for him so Gerard needed to understand and accept that.

 

"What are they? Your marks I mean, what are they pictures of?"

 

"Oh, the one on my neck is a scorpion and the one on my wrist is like stitches."

 

Gerard frowned and thought for a minute. The scorpion...that one was a little easier. Frank was born in late October which the humans counted to mean he was born under the Scorpion sign. The stitches stumped him though. It was a medical thing that humans used to close deep cuts.

 

"Why the stitches?"

 

"Um...that's....just because."

 

Frank avoided Gerard's eye which made him a little nervous and worried him. What could the stitches mean to Frank that he didn't want Gerard to know. Frank shook his head and looked up at Gerard.

 

"So...you're a Seelie then...a summer faery. Is that why your hair and eyes are so bright?"

 

Gerard frowned at the changed of subject but nodded.

 

"Yes. Andy has dark hair and blue eyes because he's Unseelie. Each kind of faery has sets of traits to tell them apart."

 

Andy made a little noise and Gerard looked at him.

 

"Gee...answer me this one...do Frank's eyes not look...?"

 

Gerard looked back at Frank and choked a little because Andy was right.

 

"Seelie. Odd feature for a human. I knew they looked brighter. It happens though. We've seen it on humans before."

 

"I've seen it on Changelings but I don't remember seeing it on a human."

 

"No, I've seen it on a human. It's not common but humans are strange creatures."

 

Andy didn't look so sure but Gerard had seen it a handful of times in his life.  Frank tilted his head curiously.

 

"What's wrong with my eyes? Why are they Seelie looking to you?"

 

"Bright gold-green. It's a common colour. The paint vendor I saw had bright gold-brown eyes."

 

Gerard looked at him.

 

"Wait...dark hair? Dressed in green?"

 

"Yeah. Know him?"

 

"Yeah, that's Pete. What is he doing in the Unseelie market?"

 

"No idea."

 

"Why are you the only one with a weird name?"

 

Frank looked at Gerard, who sighed and shook his head.

 

"Because, Faeries give their children human names to use. A name is a powerful thing so our true names stay hidden. Even our parents don't know. Sometimes we don't know ourselves. Sometimes the name even changes. Humans have true names too but they seldom know that and almost never find out what it is."

 

"So your parents just gave you a weird name just because?"

 

"It's a newer translation of a much older name. Though I had a name before there were even humans to be fair. Some of us adapt our names with the times. Like Andy has."

 

"Now see, I'm also a lot younger than you too, though."

 

"Shut up."

 

"Wait...how old are you...?"

 

Andy piped up first.

 

"I was born around...oh what do you call it...300 B.C. I guess...somewhere around there. Nothing like this old fart."

 

Andy laughed and Frank snickered before looking at Gerard expectantly.

 

"I'm...a bit past......eight thousand...I don't know exactly right now."

 

"Holy fuck!"

 

Frank choked and looked at Gerard wide eyed.

 

"And you just...I...I am a CHILD!"

 

"Oh, I'm very aware of that. Time passes differently in the Faery realms so I am about the equivalent of...like..."

 

"About late twenties or early thirties..."

 

"Will you shut up."

 

Gerard glared at Andy and stuck his tongue out.

 

"Though you have the attitude of a toddler sometimes."

 

Andy laughed and grinned widely.

 

"Says you."

 

Gerard scolded him and Frank laughed at the pair of them.

 

"You know...you may be old but you really don't seem it."  

 

Gerard looked up at him and smiled warmly. Frank yawned and stretched which made him squeak in the middle of his yawn the same way he did when he was little. It made Gerard's heart ache a little and he chuckled.

 

"I think it's time for you to go to sleep. We'll have time tomorrow."

 

"I have school in the morning."

 

"Then we'll wait for you."

 

Gerard got up and kissed Frank's forehead. Frank made a disgruntled sound but didn't protest too much as Gerard made him lay down and pulled the blankets up over him. Gerard sat beside the bed and ran his fingers through Frank's hair.

 

"You're not gonna leave, are you?"

 

Frank mumbled and Gerard rested his chin on the edge of the bed.

 

"I already told you I'm never leaving you again. I'll be right here in the morning when you wake up."

 

Frank smiled and snuggled into his bed a little. Gerard watched as he fell asleep and then turned his head to look at Andy who was in the process of curling up and making himself comfortable.

 

"You know you can't stay here with him. He'll have to come back with us and that could get messy."

 

"I know but I think it's been a lot for him already. This morning I was a figment of his childhood imagination for all he knew and now I'm sitting in front of him telling him I'm his soulmate that watched over him till I abandoned him. I'm giving him time to process. We have time."

 

"You didn't abandon him, that's not your fault."

 

"Sometimes it feels like it is. If I'd fought a little harder or hadn't gone home that day. I don't even remember why I was going home. I left him alone all these years."

 

"That could be a good thing. Most don't have the chance to know their soulmate right from the time they're a baby."

 

"I know that...I just...I don't know."

 

"It'll be fine. Get some sleep."

 

Gerard nodded and rested his head back on the edge of Frank's bed.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "So, you're going to just go...and give her the dress?"
> 
> "Oh no, you are coming with me." 
> 
> Bob looked at him wide eyed.
> 
> "I'm what now?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT'S FINE! IT'S FUCKING FINE OK! WE'RE GONNA PRETEND IT'S STILL FRIDAY AND I ABSOLUTELY DID NOT FORGET TO UPDATE THIS! SHUT IT!

Mikey woke up and looked beside him to see Bob sound asleep. He smiled a little as he remembered who Bob was and how he'd gotten here. As Bob started to stir and opened his eyes he grinned.

 

"So, you are real."

 

"Not just a dream. I'm still here."

 

Bob hummed happily at this revelation. He leaned forward and kissed Mikey gently and the Faery groaned into it. Bob grinned and broke the kiss to gently kiss Mikey's cheek.

 

"Don't we have things to do today?"

 

"Yes but not right now. We have time."

 

"No, I have school today so we've gotta go before then."

 

Mikey made a loud noise of disapproval that made Bob chuckle.

 

"I'm sure you'll survive."

 

He kissed Mikey again quickly before pushing himself out of bed.

 

"You are far too energetic for this morning."

 

Mikey complained.

 

"You're not the first to complain about that but I like to get shit done so I don't have to worry about it."

 

Bob shrugged before getting dressed and looking expectantly at Mikey.

 

"So you're just...totally invisible to everyone."

 

"Unless I want to be seen but I don't think that's a good idea. Your parents may question you having a grown man in your room."

 

"I meant while we're out today."

 

"If you like me too I can't show myself. I'm not sure about people's reactions to my attire after your comments last night but..."

 

"You can borrow some of mine. I'm sure I've got something that'll fit you."

 

Mikey smiled at the offer and nodded. Bob was tall and broad compared to Mikey and he very much doubted the boy had clothes that would fit him but he started to dig around in his closet. He chucked a shift and pants at Mikey that looked like they actually would fit.

 

"They're a few years old, not sure why I still have them. They're never gonna fit me again but you can have them."

 

Mikey grinned as he pulled on the shorts and band shirt. Bob grabbed a cloth and handed it to Mikey.

 

"What's this for?"

 

"Paint."

 

"Oh..."

 

Mikey got up and used the mirror on the back of the door to wipe off any visible paint. It felt wrong but it would help him blend in.

 

"Do you wear that all the time?"

 

"Mostly, yes."

 

"Why use something that comes off then?"

 

"It's not always appropriate. We also sometimes where different designs for different things."

 

"What's it for?"

 

"Kind of a status symbol. You earn your marks and colour."

 

"What do yours mean?"

 

"Red signifies what I do, which I'm not explaining to you right now because human morality is much stricter than ours. But the pattern has to do with who my family is and my place in our courts."

 

"Oh? So, is your family important or something?"

 

"I wouldn't say important really. My grandmother has a high place in the courts but her position hasn't earned my parents much of a place but I have been extended some courtesy because I'm closer to my grandmother than my parents, and my brother was too before he was banished. I don't think he wears his paint anymore though."

 

Bob raised an eyebrow but shook it off.

 

"We need to get going if we're going to have enough time."

 

He grabbed a container off his desk and shoved it in his pocket.

 

"How do you feel about just not going to school today?"

 

"But...I'm gonna get in shit...and I kind of need school."

 

"Can you read and write and do basic math?"

 

"Uh...yeah."

 

"I think you'll be fine then. One day isn't going to hurt...plus...I think we have something to discuss...but later."

 

Mikey stood up and smiled at Bob. Then he motioned for Bob to lead the way.

 

~~~~~

 

Mikey looked at the store wide eyed and confused. He'd spent time in the human realm but not in stores, let alone ones like this. They'd decided against makeup because neither of them understood it and decided instead that a dress or something might better suit her.

 

"Do you know how big she is?"

 

"Um...she's actually very petite."

 

Mikey held his hand up below his shoulders to illustrate and tried to show the approximate size of her waist. Bob smiled widely and pulled out his phone. Mikey watched him tap away at the screen, wait, and then smile when it beeped at him.

 

"What was that?"

 

"I have a friend who is about that size and lives around the corner from here and she told me two days ago that she wasn't going in today cause of some thing their teacher-

their teacher has them doing in class today."

 

Mikey looked at him warily, trying to weigh how bad could it possibly be for one of Bob's friends to see him.

 

"How are you going to explain me?"

 

"Uh...I'm not sure but Jamia isn't too nosey."

 

Mikey contemplated maybe hiding himself from this Jamia to make it easier but before he could there was a tiny dark-haired girl walking around the corner and running to Bob. She hugged him tightly and smiled brightly.

 

"Bobby, what on earth do you need my help finding a dress for?"

 

"Looking for something nice for someone who's about the same size as you. This is Mikey."

 

Jamia looked at him and without hesitation smiled and offered her hand. Mikey shook it gently and smiled.

 

"I'm Jamia, are you a family member of Bobby's or something?"

 

"Friend."

 

Mikey smiled and looked at Bob who nodded. Jamia seemed satisfied with this answer and didn't probe further which Mikey was grateful for to say the least.

 

"Ok. What kind of dress...?"

 

"Um...hopefully you can help with that too...?"

 

Bob smiled sheepishly and she rolled her eyes.

 

"You're hopeless. Come on, I'll help you find something nice."

 

She grabbed Bob's hand and led them further into the store. Mikey wasn't sure what to think but when she pulled up a few options he understood why Bob had called her. She thankfully had some similar tastes to the Queen but they were black dresses.

 

"She doesn't wear dark colours. More...summery and bright. Sometimes earthy tones but not really...never dark."

 

Mikey spoke up and got a look from Bob, to which he just shrugged and shook his head to mean he'd explain later. Jamia nodded and looked again for something else. She came up with a pale blue dress and a soft purple one. Bob shrugged and looked at Mikey for an opinion.

 

"Uh..."

 

Jamia laughed and shook her head.

 

"I'll try them on and you can decide that way."

 

Bob nodded and they followed her to the change room, they hovered outside the area though after receiving a look from the attendant.

 

"The dresses here are a little...short..."

 

"Yeah, I think that's the style right now. I don't know. These are like...fancy dresses though so they should be ok. If the Queen is vain the way you said all you have to do is tell her they're the fashion trend right now."

 

"What do you think?"

 

Jamia's voice made them both snap to attention and look over at her. Bob smiled  and nodded before looking at Mikey, whose expression was less sure. Jamia noticed this and she turned her attention to him.

 

"Do you not like it?"

 

Mikey floundered for what to tell her but he was a little lost, he looked at Bob for help.

 

"It's for his little sister so maybe a little longer."

 

"Oh, ok. That's understandable. The blue one is longer."

 

Jamia nodded and headed back into the change room.

 

"Little sister?"

 

Mikey looked at Bob.

 

"Older brothers are protective of their little sisters usually here so she wouldn't question that you'd want her to be covered up a little better."

 

Mikey nodded and smiled a little. They waited a few minutes and Jamia came back out in the blue one. It was soft and almost looked like it was made of a flower's petals. The top had some sparkly bits on it that Mikey wasn't sure what they were but they had enough shine to them that he was sure it'd make her happy. He nodded happily and Jamia squealed in delight at the approval. She went and changed back into her own clothes quickly, and when she came out she set the dress carefully in Mikey's hands. It was so light it seemed to barely be there at all.

 

"Thank you, Jam."

 

"No problem, Bobby. You'll have to let me know what she thinks of it when you give it to her."

 

"Will do."

 

Jamia hugged Bob quickly and turned to Mikey, offering him a hug as well that he couldn't refuse. He bent down and squeezed her gently before she waved to them and took off.

 

"She's sweet. Kind of reminds me of a sprite."

 

Bob chuckled and shook his head at Mikey.

 

"Alright, now what?"

 

"Now...we go back to your house for a minute."

 

"My father is home today..."

 

"He won't see anything. I can glamour us both."

 

"Glamour?"

 

"The magic that hides me from the human eye is called a glamour. I can extend it beyond myself for a short amount of time."

 

Mikey said just before Bob shushed him as they got to the front counter. Bob paid for the dress and the lady put it in a bag carefully. When Bob came back to Mikey he took Mikey's hand in his as they walk. Mikey looked at their hands and then at Bob.

 

"Why?"

 

Bob looked at him and frowned slightly, pulling his hand away.

 

"Sorry."

 

They walked quietly and Mikey watched the other humans for a while. He'd spent so long watching Frank that he didn't much watch the others. It became a little more obvious to Mikey after a little while why Bob had held his hand. He watched several couples walking together with their hands laced together. He felt a twinge of guilt for making Bob feel bad about something that must just be normal to him. He picked up his stride to match Bob's and laced his fingers together with Bob's. Bob slowed down a bit and looked at him.

 

"I'm sorry for being rude. I didn't realize. I'm not really all that familiar with a lot of the things humans do."

 

Bob smiled softly and kissed Mikey's cheek gently.

 

"It's ok. I figured you just weren't much for being touched. Some people don't like it and that's fine. I just hoped I hadn't upset you."

 

"No, you didn't. Just confused me is all but that doesn't take a lot."

 

~~~~~

 

"So how are you going to give that to her?"

 

"Well, all I really have to do is show up. She's fond of me because I treat her as the King's equal. The King does as well but I think that's because he knows his wife is stronger than him. He seems to love her though which isn't always that common among Faery unions."

 

"If you have forever then why would you settle with someone who isn't your soulmate or who you don't care for?"

 

"Position, agreements, payment of debt. It's all very messy and political. And the rare few of us actually never find their soulmate because, like the King, they don't travel as much and the people that come to them are of a higher status and they don't see much else."

 

"That's sounds ridiculous."

 

"Its just how things work. It used to be that way for humans as well."

 

"I mean...it sort of still is it's just not as blatantly rude about it. Our leaders are busy and no one wants to see them usually anyway because they're assholes."

 

"I don't actually know what that means..."

 

"They're...very rude or greedy or selfish, generally just not very well liked by the working class."

 

Mikey nodded and grinned, sounded like the previous King.

 

"So...if Faeries live for a long time...does that mean someone could be King for a very long time?"

 

"We're only on our second King since the beginning of time, if that puts it into perspective for you."

 

"Oh...wow...do you like this one?"

 

"Well enough, better than the last but people change over time. Oberon did. He was greatly loved by all his people at one point...but he changed in the last...oh few hundred years of his life I guess. He was assassinated so that tells you how much he was liked."

 

"Really? What happened for him to fall that far?"

 

"He made some decisions and Puck...Puck didn't help...when Oberon stopped listening to Titania's voice he started making stupid decisions and eventually some people had enough. Of course, they had no heir so the next in line had to be decided another way and we ended up with the King we have now."

 

Mikey shook his head as he finished fastening his bracers.

 

"Honestly I think more of us with that Titania had survived and taken the throne. She was selfish and stupid sometimes but she was easier to sway than Oberon was. Her attention could be bought."

 

"Like with this Queen."

 

"Oh no, this Queen is much kinder. She may be a little vain but she can be sweet. As much as any Faery can be I suppose."

 

Bob nodded and watched Mikey get up and grab a small glass jar of red. He went over to the mirror and began to reapply the markings on his face and arms.

 

"So, you're going to just go...and give her the dress?"

 

"Oh no, you are coming with me." 

 

Bob looked at him wide eyed.

 

"I'm what now?"

 

"You'll be fine, no one would dare touch you while you're with me."

 

"But you said having a human soulmate was illegal."

 

"Yes, but no one is going to know that and having a human pet is not."

 

"Pet?"

 

"You follow me, carry that bag, and don't speak until we've reached the Queen and have given her the gift. Then she may allow you to speak. Likely to ask you about the dress."

 

Bob made a face.

 

"It's not ideal but if this works then we may not have this problem...though we'll have to appease the Queen for not telling her the truth."

 

"Ok..."

 

"One other thing. Do not eat or drink anything you're offered and do not give anyone your name. Use a nickname."

 

"I never even told you my actual name. Bob is a nickname."

 

"Well now I'm just offended."

 

"I hate my name and never use it."

 

"Good. Guard it with your life. There's a lot of power in a name even if it's not your True Name."

 

"That sounds like it's like...a thing."

 

"It is and you don't even know your True Name."

 

"Do you know yours?"

 

"Yes, I found out what mine was a long time ago."

 

Mikey reached for Bob's hand and nodded for him to take it. Bob grabbed hold of the bag with the dress and let Mikey lead him back out of the house.

 

"We're going to stay hidden until we get where we're going."

 

Mikey told him and smiled reassuringly. They walked for a while until they found a bus stop.

 

"You realize they won't stop if they don't see anyone."

 

"Which is why they'll see you."

 

Mikey let go of his hand and smiled a little. Bob shook his head and rolled his eyes.

 

"I didn't figure you'd want to walk that far again."

 

"Again. Up to Frank's?"

 

"The park there. There's a gate into the Seelie there."

 

"Oh boy. Ok."

 

Bob shut up as the bus pulled up and climbed aboard. He sat in the back where there were lots of seats and few people. Mikey sat close beside him all the way there and followed him as he got off.

 

"So, the gate is here then?"

 

"Yes, gates are in wooded areas, usually in water or in Faery circles. When nature gets destroyed, so do gates. There are fewer gates now than there has been since they opened...I'm not even totally sure how long ago that was."

 

Bob followed Mikey past Frank's house into the little wooded area in the park. They walked for a little bit until Mikey found what he was looking for.

 

"Once we step through here you have to behave as I told you and you can't touch me."

 

Bob nodded in understanding. He didn't like it but he got it. Mikey moved closer to him and kissed Bob. It was like reassurance and an apology for what was to come, Bob knew that but he was happy either way. Mikey inexplicably cared for him so much that he was willing to push every limit and belief he had. It didn't make sense but it was ok. Mikey pulled back and smiled at Bob, before turning to face the water and sighing heavily. Bob watched the look on Mikey's face become still and blank, almost cold but his warm colours wouldn't allow for that. Mikey took his hand and lead him through the Gate, dropping his hand the second they were through.

 

They were in another forest and Bob didn't understand why they couldn't wait until they got to wherever the palace was but he wasn't about to question Mikey on it just in case there was actually a reason for it. They walked for what seemed like forever before Bob started to see what looked like it could be a building. It was more like a hollowed-out space under the roots of a tree but the entrance way was so intricately woven and designed that Bob thought maybe it was made to be that way. Inside seemed tall and vast, there was an open market of vendors with everything he could imagine and some things that he didn't know what they were. He wished he could ask Mikey questions right now because he had so many but he stayed quiet and just followed. The crowd seemed to part a little for Mikey when the people nearby saw him and this only raised more curiosity. Who was Mikey that they treated him this way?

 

They reached what looked like the center of this city dome and it was like a tall and vast tree. If he could count the rings Bob didn't think he'd ever be able to finish. As they walked through the doors the guards let them pass without hesitation. Once they were inside it was another matter though. An older, and more important, looking woman stopped Mikey in his tracks.

 

"Michael, I see you've found a pet then?"

 

"Yes, Lady, I have. For now, at least. I am on a bit of a mission at the moment though, perhaps tea later?"

 

"What sort of business?"

 

"With Her Highness."

 

"Oh, you mustn’t keep her waiting then."

 

The woman shooed him on.

 

"I expect you home for tea later, and that you bring this strapping young man."

 

Bob tried really hard not to blush at the Lady's compliment. Mikey nodded and moved on, motioning for Bob to continue following. They went upwards next and passed only guards after a while. Bob wasn't sure where they were going or how Mikey knew where to find the Queen. They did find her though, on a balcony that was above the surface and covered in bright sunlight. There were beautiful plants everywhere and a small woman lounging comfortably with several others sitting by her. She was very pretty, it was no wonder she was a little vain. It didn't take long for her to spot Mikey and her face lit up.

 

"Sir Michael, hello darling, to what do I owe this visit from you?"

 

Mikey bowed a little and Bob followed suit simply out of respect. She smiled at them. Sir? So, Mikey was some kind of Knight then.

 

"I've brought you something and, if you don't mind, would like your permission to present it to you without an audience."

 

Mikey grinned a little and this seemed to please her as she waved away the other women, shooing them out of the room quickly. When they were gone, Bob began to question why they were so willing. If she was royalty wouldn't she need to be protected at all times and accompanied by someone no matter what. Mikey turned to Bob and motioned him forward.

 

"A human?"

 

"No, this one is my pet for now, but he carries what I brought for you."

 

Bob understood and set the bag at the bottom of her lounge to gently pull the dress out.

 

"Oh my...Michael, it's beautiful! Is it..."

 

"Current human fashion, if I've been told correctly."

 

Her face lit up with delight, she looked at Bob.

 

"Tell me, young one, would the human girls your age where this."

 

Bob cleared his throat and tried to remember what he could about how you addressed royalty.

 

"Yes, your Highness, a friend of mine helped guarantee the fit."

 

"Oh, he's polite. Michael, wherever did you find him."

 

Mikey just grinned and shook his head. She huffed but shrugged.

 

"Either way, I simply must try it on."

 

She stood up and shed her robe without hesitation. Bob looked to Mikey in concern for some guidance and he just nodded. Bob furrowed his brow for a second before turning back to her and unzipping the dress, presenting it for her to step into. Then something dawned on him, and he looked at the zipper. Plastic...he wasn't sure about that one.

 

"Uh...may I raise a simple question...Sir Michael?"

 

Mikey nodded.

 

"I didn't think to ask before but is plastic safe for Faeries?"

 

Mikey furrowed his brow and the Queen stopped.

 

"I actually don't know. Let me see it for a second, test it on my skin before hers."

 

Bob internally winced but laid the plastic of the zipper against Mikey's hand for a minute. Mikey watched it and when nothing happened he nodded.

 

"It appears it is."

 

The Queen smiled again and motioned for Bob to hold the dress out for her to step into. He slipped it up over her to let her slide her arms through and then stepped behind her to do up the zipper properly.

 

"I love it, it's so light and soft. Michael, you're too kind to me, and to risk yourself over me against something unknown."

 

"As your personal guard, that is my job and one I do with great honour."

 

Mikey smiled and tilted his head to her. Bob raised an eyebrow. That explained a lot. Why the women left him alone with her. Why he held such status. Generally, just why Mikey was the way he was.

 

"Sit, both of you, you must be tired."

 

She sat back on her lounge and waved her hand, causing a small couch to appear just beside her. Mikey motioned for Bob to sit, which he did, and then sat between him and the Queen.

 

"M'Lady..."

 

"Michael, to you when there is no one else around I am Adrienne and you know this."

 

"Adrienne, my apologies for offending your kindness, I know it is impolite to ask favours..."

 

"Nonsense, how else would I repay such a gift. Ask what it is that you want but remember the weight of your requests."

 

"I have only a simple question I would like very much if you could answer for me."

 

"Of course."

 

"With the condition that you not ask why I am asking it..."

 

She paused for a minute and then nodded.

 

"The King...is a good man, and it is within his rights to pass laws and I have no right to question them...but I feel that only you may know that reason behind this one and I'm curious."

 

"Ask what you wish and I shall answer what I know. Which law do you seek the reason for?"

 

"The law against Faeries having human soulmates, your Majesty."

 

She frowned for a second and looked at Bob blankly. Finally, she sighed and looked back at Mikey.

 

"I'm afraid that law is of a personal matter. Two broken hearts and two deep betrayals. If I tell you this you must swear it that the King will never know it was I who told you. I am not the only who knows this story but it is likely I know it best."

 

"Of course I would never do anything to make you seem unfaithful to your husband in such a way."

 

She smiled softly at him and then nodded calmly.

 

"The King himself had a human soulmate. We are unsure if she is still alive or what may have happened to her but it is true. I was not aware of what happened until much after the law was passed and the King had some hard nights. I sought to console him but when he confessed to me...I have not felt as close to him since."

 

"And yet you stay with him as Titania did with Oberon?"

 

She shook her head.

 

"No, I stay with him because he turned his back on it. She left him. He showed her love and devotion for a time, treating her as he would me. In the end though, she chose another and wed him. The King's heart was broken and she had betrayed him. Had she not I may have respected it and welcomed her into our lives. I am his wife and I know that but I know I am not his soulmate, that is no secret. I felt betrayed by both of them and my heart was broken because of both of them. I wanted his hurting to stop and so I made sure he would never think to look for her again. He remembers her, of course, and remembers all that happened but I will him to leave her be. He will find no happiness there."

 

"Did you ever see her?"

 

"Yes, I did find her once, just to see. She was lovely and seemed kind but I knew what she had done by then. She was pregnant when I saw her."

 

Mikey thought for a minute.

 

"So then, the King...made the law to protect others from the pain he felt?"

 

"He wished to stop such a thing from befalling any of the few who it may happen to. Like your brother, and I wager that you have befallen the same fate."

 

Bob's heart stopped and he tried not to move as he waited for Mikey's response. Mikey sighed heavily and reached over for Bob's hand.

 

"You read me too well, I will not lie to you directly but I had hoped to hide who he was."

 

"It is visible in how you sit, how he behaves so uncertainly about himself. Trying not to offend or show anything. Humans have never been very good at lying though they do more of it than we do. I understand your intention and no word of it will slip my tongue. What do you wish to do with this knowledge?"

 

"I am not quite sure...if you could show me what she looked like perhaps I could check on her...see what's become of her?"

 

Adrienne thought for a minute and nodded, waving her hand to display an image that was shockingly familiar to Bob. He gasped quietly and looked at it wide eyed.

 

"You know her, young one?"

 

Bob looked at her and nodded.

 

"She is...my friend's mother."

 

"Tell me then...what has become of her and what of her child?"

 

"Her husband left her years before I knew them, I before I knew them and I never really knew why. Frank didn't like to talk about it and I am not actually sure he even knows. Frank...is..."

 

Bob looked to Mikey for help and Mikey nodded.

 

"Frank is my brother's soulmate."

 

The Queen frowned.

 

"Perhaps it is good that your brother has been separated from such an ill bred child then. His status is worth so much more and I wish my husband would at least allow him to come home. Lady Elena argues for his return endlessly."

 

Bob frowned deeply and she noticed.

 

"Have I upset you?"

 

"Frank has a better heart than most. He's kind."

 

"I did not mean to offend, darling, I speak nothing of Frank only of his parentage, or rather of his mother."

 

There was silence for a while before she spoke again.

 

"Michael, was it not you that turned your brother in?"

 

"It was but I thought nothing of it at the time, he broke a law. Now I understand. I was naive and reckless before and for that I owe my brother many apologies."

 

She nodded and seemed to think for a moment.

 

"Perhaps...if her husband has left her and she still remembers our King, maybe they can be reunited and that may quell his angers and broken heart...and he might free your brother."

 

"Is this your quest for me then? To see if she remembers?"

 

"Yes, I did block her sight but I can give you the antidote. You need only blow it in her eyes and she will see once again. Then you may ask her. Do this for me?"

 

Mikey stood and bowed.

 

"On my life, it shall be done."


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I'm not going to hurt him, Gee."
> 
> "Don't call me that."
> 
> "I'm here to help you, to...atone for what I did to you..."
> 
> "I'll believe that when I see it. What are you doing to his mother?"

Gerard sat reading through one of Frank's books while Andy played a video game that Frank had showed him without the volume so his mother wouldn't be alerted. They waited for him to come back and were greatly relieved when they heard the front door and his voice as he greeted his mother. After a moment they heard him coming up the stairs and when he opened the door it was all Gerard could do to stay still and not make a big deal about it. He didn't remember it being so difficult to wait the school day.

 

"Have your school days gotten longer or something?"

 

Gerard asked simply out of curiosity. Frank laughed.

 

"Well when I was like four they would have been shorter days. What would they do with us all day? Little kids don't have that much attention span."

 

Gerard nodded and smiled.

 

"So what do we do now?"

 

"I told my mom I was going to the park, I figure it's easier for us to sit by that tree where you found me so that she doesn't ask why I'm talking to myself."

 

"Smart kid."

 

Andy grinned and piped up as he turned off the game. He looked at his hands and frowned.

 

"You should have stuck to books and you know damn well that it's your own fault. It'll heal in a bit."

 

Gerard scolded him as he saw the stiffness and marks in his hands from the metal inside the controller. There was iron there somewhere.

 

"I didn't even think of that, I'm so sorry."

 

Frank started to panic a little but Andy shushed him.

 

"Gee is right, that was on me. Technology isn't really good for us in general and I knew that. Let's go to the park, nature will help."

 

Frank nodded and led the two unseen Faeries downstairs and stopped in his tracks when he saw Bob talking to his mother with someone else.

 

"No!"

 

Gerard whispered sounding slightly panicked.

 

"What's wrong?"

 

Frank asked him quietly.

 

"My brother, he's the one that turned me in."

 

Frank didn't have time to respond when Mikey blew something in Frank's mother's face that made her cough and sputter. When she stopped she looked directly at Mikey and jumped back in shock. She could see him. Gerard wasn't going to stand there and let anything happen to her.

 

"What are you doing here?"

 

Gerard growled at Mikey, making his younger brother jump and look at him.

 

"Well you know I could ask you the same. Aren't you supposed to be banished?"

 

Gerard grumbled and then grabbed a hold of Frank as he tried to go to his mother.

 

"I'm not going to hurt him, Gee."

 

"Don't call me that."

 

"I'm here to help you, to...atone for what I did to you..."

 

"I'll believe that when I see it. What are you doing to his mother?"

 

"Queen Adrienne blocked her sight, she just gave me the means of restoring it. That is what I was doing and that is why this poor woman is now confused about the three Faeries in her house."

 

Mikey turned back to her but Frank cut him off.

 

"Mom, you can see them?"

 

She eyed them nervously but nodded.

 

"I thought I'd grown out of my sight. Some do so late so it wouldn't have surprised me...you have sight? And you, Bob?"

 

Bob nodded and shifted uncomfortably, not meeting Frank's gaze.

 

"Well...if it was taken from me...it must have been returned for a reason...what is it that you want, Faery?"

 

"Only to ask you if you remember someone."

 

"Who?"

 

"The man you were with before your husband."

 

Frank looked at his mom in confusion and Gerard raised an eyebrow but Frank's mother looked at Mikey calmly.

 

"You mean Billie Joe...?"

 

Mikey nodded and she sighed.

 

"Of course, I remember him, how could I not?"

 

"We weren't sure you would with how easily you betrayed him?"

 

"Betrayed him? No, I was afraid of him. I..."

 

She looked at Frank.

 

"I didn't understand what he saw in me and I'd been engaged before I met him. Things got...out of hand and something happened...that made me afraid to go back to him again...so I just married my fiancé and went on with my life. He was a Faery, he had a wife, I thought he'd be fine."

 

She watched Mikey as his face grew to read more irritated.

 

"Is that what you thought? I don't know what the human interpretation of the word soulmate is but if that's the treatment it earns you then perhaps I should be warier than I am."

 

"Soulmate? What are you talking about?"

 

She just looked confused and Frank wanted to go to her and comfort her but Gerard had hold of his arm. Mikey bristled at this and looked at Bob who only shrugged. Clearly, they knew something the rest of them didn't.

 

"Did he not tell you that part?"

 

She shook her head, tears in her eyes.

 

"I lost so much because of everything that happened...if he had just told me that...I wouldn't have been afraid to come to him for help when I needed it. I thought he'd be angry...that he'd hurt us."

 

She started to cry and Mikey melted a little bit in front of them.

 

"What happened?"

 

"I should never have married Frank senior, I know that. I lied to him...I lied to my family...for years...and it all came out and he left. I had been so afraid of what Billie would do that I couldn't go to him...I just..."

 

"Wait...you said Dad left because you two didn't feel connected anymore...that it was for the best so that you could still be friends and be here for me."

 

Frank spoke up and frowned at his mother. She'd lied to him too then.

 

"I know, Frankie, I know that and I'm so sorry but how was I supposed to explain all this to you? I didn't know what else to do and he hates that I told you that...because it keeps him around...that's why he's not around much. He says he's busy so that you don't feel hurt by it. I'm so sorry, baby."

 

She stood up and pushed past Mikey to hug her son. Frank hugged his mother and let her cry. Whatever was weighing on her shoulders seemed to be crushing her and Frank just wanted that to go away.

 

"It's ok, Mama, you can tell me now. I'm here and I'm listening. Whatever it is...you can tell me. It can't be that bad."

 

He stood her up a little better and wiped her face gently.

 

"I don't know...how do I..."

 

"Just start at the beginning."

 

Bob said and rested a hand on her back. She gave the boy a weak smile. She'd always liked Bob, Frank had been glad for that, now he felt sick knowing that Bob had likely lied to her too. She took a deep breath and looked back at Mikey.

 

"I...I met him when I was on holiday by myself in New York. He was sweet and seemed so nice. I bumped into him and it felt like someone sent an electrical shock through me. He took an interest in me for some reason and we spent a month together. It was...it still is my best memory."

 

She looked at the floor and sighed.

 

"I had to come home though. He wanted me to go with him but I told him I had things to sort out. That I'd be back in a month."

 

Frank tilted his head and waited.

 

"So you just didn't go back?"

 

"I was going to. I'd fully intended to end my engagement and go back to him."

 

Frank raised an eyebrow and his heart raced a little at that thought. If she's left then she wouldn't have had Frank. He began to wonder if she actually wanted that.

 

"What happened that made you stay then?"

 

"I found out that I was a month pregnant just before I was to leave."

 

"So...you came back to leave him...but you slept with him...that's a little counter productive."

 

Mikey made a face.

 

"I had just gotten back, it was a confusing blur and it just happened. Okay. I've done dumber things than that. But when I found out I was expecting...I wasn't sure. But I was so afraid to go back to Billie, expecting a baby. I knew how that would look and I thought he'd been angry. Faeries can be vicious things when they're angry. I was scared he'd hurt me or the baby or both."

 

Mikey shook his head and moved away from her.

 

"Well of course he'd be angry that you were carrying someone else's kid but he'd never have hurt you."

 

"I don't see how that ties back to Frank's father leaving you, though."

 

Gerard spoke finally and Frank leaned into him for support.

 

"That's...during my whole pregnancy with Frank things got weird. I stopped seeing Faeries, which I guess was your Queen blocking my sight. Frank...carrying him was one of the weirdest things. Sometimes he would kick for hours and then sometimes it seemed like he was gone. I started to question things and wondered about others."

 

She started to tear up a bit.

 

"When he was born, Frank was so tiny and very sick and everything they did made it worse. Eventually he got better, and we brought him home but something didn't seem right. I still had questions so I went behind Frank senior's back and had Frank DNA tested against him.....and it wasn't a match."

 

Frank's heart dropped.

 

"What?"

 

She shook her head.

 

"He wasn't your father but it was already too late. I'd married him and I couldn't see the Faeries anymore. I made the worst mistake of my life and you ended up paying for it. My husband eventually found out when some things arouse about that month I'd been gone and about Frank. He was furious...he threw things and had an all out fit while you were at school...I cleaned everything up and pretended it didn't happen but eventually it was more than our marriage could handle and he left."

 

Mikey furrowed his brows and looked at Frank curiously.

 

"So then..."

 

He went wide eyed and looked at Gerard. Frank looked up at Gerard and he seemed almost scared. He looked back at his mother.

 

"So wait...some random Faery named Billie...is actually my father...and your soulmate?"

 

She nodded slowly, but froze when Mikey choked.

 

"Random?"

 

He sounded panicked and Frank looked at him again.

 

"And what is your problem? You're already on my shit list for what you did to your brother."

 

This seemed to scare Mikey even more.

 

"Billie Joe is no random Faery, kid."

 

"Well then who is he?"

 

It was Gerard that answered his time.

 

"Billie Joe...is the name of the current crowned King of the Seelie court. Queen Adrienne is his wife. My brother...just broke the Queen's spell on your mother's sight so I'm guessing he was sent by her."

 

"Why would she send you?"

 

Frank's mother asked innocently enough.

 

"I'm her personal guard. I went to her to ask why the law against Faeries having human soulmates was in place and her answer was you. She sent me to find you when Bob said he knew you, and to break the spell and see if you even remembered the King."

 

"Hold on just a goddamn minute..."

 

Frank waved his hand and grumbled at the headache forming.

 

"You're telling me...that not only am I some weird half breed faery child...but that I'm the bastard child of a Faery King...who I'm guessing doesn't know that I even exist...and that he passed a nonsense law to keep Faeries from their human soulmates...and then he took Gerard away from me when I was a little kid and banished him?"

 

"Yeah, that about sums it up."

 

"And why was Bob in the Faery realm? Why is Bob even here for that matter? We agreed to take a break before we tried to even be friends again after the shit you pulled."

 

Bob hung his head in shame.

 

"I know. I told Mikey that I'd wait outside but he insisted that if your mother knew me that it'd be easier to do this if I was here. I didn't realize you were even home from school."

 

Frank mother frowned.

 

"Wait...what'd I miss between you two? I thought you two were still dating..."

 

"No, I don't date cheaters."

 

Frank's mom spun on Bob and looked at Mikey.

 

"No, not me. I know about the whole thing and I think he was dumb too."

 

Mikey threw his hands up.

 

"Bob was with me in the Faery realm...because...he...was helping..."

 

Mikey avoided eye contact, and wouldn't look at Gerard who was next too him looking at him questioningly.

 

"You suck at lying."

 

Bob shook his head.

 

"My brother is literally going to murder me and it'll be your fault so shut up."

 

Mikey whined at Bob and this behaviour seemed to confuse Gerard even further.

 

"I...am the only one you whine at like that...Michael...have you...did you..."

 

Gerard looked at him accusingly.

 

"He is a CHILD."

 

"You're one to talk."

 

"Frank is my soulmate and I haven't.....no."

 

Gerard looked at Mikey in mild disgust.

 

"You are over seven thousand years old and you should know better."

 

"He's my soulmate...ok? Just shut up already. I didn't sleep with him."

 

Bob snickered as the words left Mikey's mouth and Gerard's jaw dropped.

 

"Not for lack of trying."

 

Bob laughed and ducked away as Mikey spun to glare at him.

 

"Stop getting me in shit or so help me I'll leave you with the Queen next time."

 

"You wouldn't..."

 

"Keep saying dumb things and find out."

 

Mikey challenged and received a swat in the back of the head from Gerard.

 

"You turn me in for having a human soulmate, who's apparently not actually human anyways, and then you go and find yourself a human soulmate. That's just grand. You just wait till Lady Elena hears this and gets her hands on you."

 

"Don't you dare."

 

"Oh you bet I'm going to. You had me banished to the frostbitten hell that is the Unseelie realm. Where I would have died if it wasn't for Andy, by the way, and where I was left being violently ill every time your apparent soulmate slept with mine."

 

"Wait what?"

 

Frank, Bob, and Mikey all said at the same time. Andy just sat down quietly, still staying out of it and watching with a small smile on his face.

 

"Yeah, did you know that when a Faery and human end up bonded if either party is unfaithful the other will feel it and it makes them violently ill."

 

Frank glared at Gerard, when the Faery looked at him he jumped.

 

"Frank...I...no. I only did it once, it never went further than a kiss, and it was to make you stop because I'd been constantly ill for too long and we were trying to figure out how to get here. I had just found out what it even was that was making me sick."

 

"True. It was me that kissed him and don't worry I'm spoken for."

 

Andy piped up and Frank wrinkled up his nose.

 

"Ok...fine. Whatever. But I didn't know I was doing that to you...I...Gerard, I am so sorry."

 

"You couldn't have known, it's ok. You're a teenager. I made my peace with that. You didn't even know I was real."

 

Bob looked at Mikey.

 

"Oh no, don't look at me like that. I knew what you two were up to and I knew what you were doing with that other boy. I didn't know you were my soulmate at the time so it's not my problem."

 

"How did you know?"

 

Gerard glared at him and Mikey smiled sheepishly.

 

"I kept an eye on Frank after you were banished. I've got all the gossip and all the time in the world to tell you if you wanna hear. I'm pretty sure Frank was outted as gay before he even knew he was gay."

 

Gerard raised an eyebrow and looked at Frank.

 

"Just don't even ask."

 

"Ok so, what were you supposed to do if Frank's mother did remember the King?"

 

"Well the Queen is surprisingly open about sharing him so I was supposed to bring her back. Bob said her husband had left her. The idea was that if we brought her back...a certain...very unfair law might be abolished and you could come home...and I could not lose Bob."

 

Gerard furrowed his brows.

 

"And now what?"

 

"Now we have an altogether more complicated situation but I suppose we could still follow the plan to the same effect. I can bring you home, Gee, you'll be fine and you'll be safe. Andy can come with us or he can go home. That's up to him but Frank and his mother will have to come with us.

 

"I don't think your King's mood will be much improved by the presence of an Unseelie but I can't leave Gerard's side until his curse is lifted. It's him being tied to me that allows him to even be here and I can't go too far away."

 

Andy nodded and gave Gerard a gentle smile. Mikey turned to Frank's mother and held out his hand to her. She looked at him more uncertainly than before and Mikey frowned.

"Do you not want to go?"

 

"Of course, I do but Frank...Frank has school and I have work...we can't just."

 

"I don't know that you won't come back but even if you don't it will be worked out. He can finish schooling in the Faery Realm, and you will be able to fill your time doing whatever it is that pleases you."

 

Frank looked from Gerard to Mikey and then to his mother. She still seemed uncertain but she set her hand in Mikey's and he started to lead her out of the house. Andy ran upstairs and grabbed his and Gerard's stuff before following everyone out of the house as Mikey led them to the park. Frank was nervous about what was to come and what it would mean for Gerard.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She turned on the Faeries in the room.
> 
> “And just how did none of you recognize the resemblance?”

Mikey led them through the woods in the Seelie Realm like he'd travelled this path a million times and in truth Gerard thought maybe he had. Frank looked nervous but curious about everything that stirred in the underbrush. Gerard shushed him and wrapped an arm around his waist to keep him close. They stopped to let Andy and Gerard change into their Faery clothes and Frank couldn't help but smile at how it looked compared to his memory. It was so much better in person. They wandered for a long time before anything changed and Gerard could feel the hum of the city. It made him worry about the spell wearing off but he still couldn't feel the true warmth of the sun. It'd only been two days at most but he still wasn't sure how long this would last.

 

"This is nothing like I thought it would be."

 

Frank's mother looked at the forest in awe and wonder. Gerard smiled at the look on her face, he missed seeing that kind of expression. Honestly, he'd missed being around people. He hadn't realized it because Andy kept him company but it wasn't the same as being surrounded by people.

 

Gerard saw the trees began to thin and he got more nervous the closer they got. Mikey looked back at him briefly before leading them into the city. The hum of people and the sounds of music playing from the market place, was so familiar and comforting to Gerard and yet it felt odd to be here. He watched the other Faeries and goblins around him, hoping none would bring attention to him. He saw a few that he knew and he ducked his head, leaning into Frank a little. Frank looked up at him and frowned in concern at the look on his face.

 

"You ok?"

 

"It's been a long time since I've been home and I don't know who knows about my banishment or what's been said."

 

Gerard shifted uncomfortably and kept his gaze downwards. Mikey turned down an alley near the palace and led them in through a back door. Gerard raised an eyebrow but realized when they went upwards that they weren't going to the court. This wasn't something to be handled so publicly as that. Gerard held his breath as they entered a room. Mikey bowed enough that Gerard could see Queen Adrienne sitting there smiling at her guard.

 

"You did well, Michael."

 

She grinned widely as she saw Gerard and Frank.

 

"You even brought your brother and his soulmate. I am impressed. Come here, little one, let me look at you. The human that caused so much fuss."

 

She motioned for Frank to move towards her. He looked up at Gerard in concern.

 

"Go on, you don't refuse the Queen summoning you."

 

Frank moved past his mother, towards the Queen. She patted a spot on the lounge beside her and Frank carefully sat down.

 

"You are very pretty, what is your name again?"

 

"Frank..."

 

He spoke quietly and tried to stay as still as he possibly could. Gerard wanted nothing more than to tell him it was okay and that she wouldn't hurt him but she was pretty unpredictable. He didn't really know what was about to happen.The Queen looked over Frank, her eyes scanning every imperfection in his appearance and examining the human in front of her.

 

“You’re an interesting little one, aren’t you?”

 

She grinned as she watched him squirm a little in discomfort.

 

“So much trouble over such a pretty little human. Though arguably less trouble than your mother has caused I supposed.”

 

Her smiled edged on malice but there was no genuine bite behind it. She was simply prodding where she could to test those in her presence. She slid closer to Frank and wrapped an arm around him, making Gerard grit his teeth and Mikey put a hand on his brother’s arm as a warning, giving him a look and shook his head. Gerard nodded in acknowledgement and leaned into Mikey a little bit. It was a strange contact after everything that’d happened, but he’d missed the closeness with his brother as much as he’d missed being in the Seelie Realm.

 

“So, Frank, have these Faeries been kind to you?”

 

Frank nodded and fidgeted with his hands a little.

 

“Yes, they have.”

 

“I’m sorry dear, do I make you nervous? That’s not my intention.”

 

Her smile softened, and she shifted beside him.

 

“I may not be fond of your mother, but I bear you no ill will. You’re Gerard’s soulmate and I’m quite fond of Gerard and his family. I would like very much to petition to my husband to allow you to be with Gerard. Would that please you?”

 

Frank still seemed uneasy, but he nodded quickly. Gerard’s heart fluttered, and he smiled with his face heating up at the small admission.

 

“Well then I will see what I can do to bring out that sweet smile I just know you must have. But for that I need your mother to be very honest with me about some things. Do you think she can do that?”

 

Frank looked at his mother for a minute.

 

“I would hope so…”

 

The Queen seemed amused by this response and Frank’s mother seemed saddened by it. Gerard sighed, he understood why that was Frank’s response and he hoped so too. For all their sake he really hoped that she knew better than to lie to the Queen about anything. The Queen raised a hand and beckoned Frank’s mother forward. She took a few cautious steps until she stood a few feet from the Queen. She seemed afraid and Gerard couldn’t blame her. Queen Adrienne glared a little at the woman and gestured her hand toward the ground. This seemed to convey the order to her well enough as Frank’s mother immediately kneeled in front of her. This made the Queen smile and nod in approval.

 

“So, human, I do hope you have some useful answers for me.”

 

Frank’s mom kept her head bowed, she looked nervous and afraid. It was the worst thing she could display in front of the Queen and Gerard wished he could help her but she was on her own here.

 

“Your human husband, was he worth betraying my husband?”

 

Gerard could feel how loaded that question was and he looked at the woman in concern. She merely shook her head. The Queen raised an eyebrow at this.

 

“And yet you still abandoned your soulmate for him and bared his child.”

 

“No.”

 

The one word made the Queen’s face change to an almost violent expression and Gerard watched Mikey shift uncomfortably.

 

“No? So, you’re telling me that this boy is not his son then? You truly are an unfaithful whore, aren’t you?”

 

“No.”

 

The Queen growled quietly and stood.

 

“Have you not been made aware of the punishment for lying to me, human?”

 

“I’m not lying. Frank…is not my husband’s son.”

 

Frank’s mother finally looked up at the Queen.

 

“I didn’t leave my soulmate knowingly. I didn’t know that’s what he was, he never told me. I left a man I felt I didn’t deserve and could never be enough for…and returned to the man I’d already been engaged to.”

 

The Queen stilled and watched her, gaze hardening as each word came to her ears. Then her whole face softened a little.

 

“He should have told you. That was his responsibility. Most humans aren’t truly aware of it happening if they haven’t already heard what it is. Faeries live their lives waiting for that moment because we do know. We’ve always known. I cannot fathom why he didn’t tell you.”

 

Mikey shifted again and spoke up.

 

“Likely because of you, M’Lady.”

 

“That could be. Tell me then, human, if your husband was not this child’s father then who was?”

 

“After I found out I was pregnant I grew more afraid of Billie Joe and returning to him. That was what made me leave. I realized it was stupid but by then I was married and Billie Joe had vanished without so much as a trace. Frank……is his son.”

 

The Queen’s eyes widened and she looked at Frank, grabbing hold of his chin to look at his face. He winced at the grip. She turned his face as she pleased to find what she was looking for. When she let go she looked afraid.

 

“You have his eyes. His stature.”

 

She turned on the Faeries in the room.

 

“And just how did none of you recognize the resemblance?”

 

“She did tell us before we brought her here but prior we had no reason to assume.”

 

Mikey shook his head and looked at Frank.

 

“Though I do see it now. We had all noticed his eyes though. A strange colour for a human. Too Seelie.”

 

Frank frowned and shifted away from the Queen, looking almost afraid and uncomfortable. Gerard watched her eyes turn dark as she looked at Frank, making the boy squirm even more. He started to step forward but Mikey grabbed his arm again. This time the Queen noticed and she shifted her glare to Gerard.

 

“Is there a problem, Gerard?”

 

Her voice was sharp and Gerard fought the urge to buckle under the pressure of it.

 

“My soulmate is visibly uncomfortable. He’s young and he’s done nothing wrong here. Allow me to comfort him.”

 

Mikey sucked in a little air at the tone his brother took with the Queen, letting go of his arm to avoid any wrath that befell Gerard for his behavior. The Queen, however, eased her expression and looked at Frank, motioning for him to go to Gerard. There was no hesitation from Frank, he was up and in Gerard’s arms in a breath. Gerard held him tight and rested his face against the top of Frank’s head, telling him it was ok and that he was safe.

 

“This boy…is the only son of the Seelie King…that is what you’re telling me, then?”

 

She looked again at Frank’s mother, who nodded. Adrienne sighed heavily.

 

“If we tell Billie…”

 

“If we tell Billie what?”

 

A voice halted even the Queen, Gerard looked up to see the King himself standing in the doorway.

 

“Billie…”

 

The Queen looked a little caught off guard and flustered.

 

“Did you think I wouldn’t hear about three humans in my Kingdom, and that they’d somehow snuck into my Palace to a meeting with my wife?”

 

He stepped forward into the room, going for the Queen. He only got about halfway before he spotted Frank’s mother and halted in his tracks.

 

“Linda…?”

 

His face softened and he just stood there in awe of seeing her.

 

“Billie…I…yes it’s me. I…have a lot to apologize for…I’m so sorry.”

 

“How did you come to be here?”

 

He looked at Mikey and Gerard, and bristled as his eyes came to rest on Andy.

 

“They brought me here at your wife’s request. Me…and my son.”

 

The King jumped at the last words and looked at her.

 

“Your son…”

 

The tone in his voice gave away that he thought the same thing the Queen had. That Frank was her husband’s child. Gerard felt Frank shift and looked down to see him looking at Billie Joe, seeing his real father for the first time. Gerard gave him a gentle squeeze of reassurance. Linda looked at the Queen who only nodded to some unspoken question. It was strange to watch the two be able to communicate like that.

 

“Well…our son, actually.”

 

The King’s face paled as his jaw dropped and he looked around until he stopped Bob hiding behind Mikey, but Mikey shook his head and gestured towards Gerard and Frank. Billie Joe looked at them and tilted his head as he looked at the small human clinging to the Faerie.

 

“Come here, boy. Let me see you.”

 

Gerard loosened his grip on Frank and let him step out towards the King. Billie Joe gently took Frank’s face in his hand and looked at his face and eyes. He let go and looked the boy over, moving slowly as he did. The Queen spoke up.

 

“He’s a spitting image of you, is he not?”

 

The King only nodded silently before turning back to Linda.

 

“And still you ran back to another man.”

 

“I was afraid…I didn’t know…there was so much going on…”

 

He nodded and looked at Frank again. Gerard could see the dampness building up in the King’s eyes. He’d never seen him cry before but then this wasn’t a typical situation. He looked at Gerard and his face fell a little more.

 

“This was the child…your soulmate…and I separated you from him…how are you here right now?”

 

“Some…Unseelie magic tricked the curse you place on me…”

 

The King looked around at everyone in front of him, the tears starting to fall as everything hit him.

 

“I’ve…made a fair few mistakes, have I not?

 

The Queen nodded to her husband.

 

“I was ready to share our home with this woman back then and I still am now, if you wish her to stay and she wishes the same. I am your wife in title and I do care for you, and your happiness. We will not be like Oberon and Titania. Let us not make their mistakes.”

 

The King nodded and looked at Linda.

 

“Do you wish to remain here with us?”

 

She hesitated for a second but the Queen held out a hand to her. She took it and rose to stand next to her, nodding at Billie Joe and rushing into his arms. Gerard smiled as he watched them, the Seelie King holding his soulmate tight and smiling brighter than had been seen in so long. Billie held an arm out to the Queen and pulled her close to them, hugging both of them together.

 

“It would seem, then, that I have some amends to make and preparations. But…”

 

He looked at Frank.

 

“Son…what is your name?”

 

Frank hesitated and looked at Gerard for reassurance, which he received, before he spoke.

 

“Frank. I’m…nearly 16.”

 

Gerard’s eyes widened and he began counting mentally.

 

“Your birthday is in only a fortnight.”

 

“There is time then. We have much to do. Do you also wish to stay here?”

 

Frank nodded and looked at Gerard.

 

“If Gerard can.”

 

The King smiled widely, stepping away from the women and beckoning Gerard towards him.

 

“Lord Way, grandson of the beloved Lady Rush…you stood wrongly accused of breaking a high crime, you were banished from both the Seelie and human Realms with a sentence of a hundred years. Only a decade or so has passed and it’s clear to me now that you did not deserve such a sentence. I hereby release you from your curse and welcome you home, if you will stay with us once more.”

 

“I would be honoured.”

 

Gerard smiled as he felt the icy feeling melt away from him, breaking the spell binding him to Andy, and a warmth rush into him as the Seelie Realm and its magic welcomed him home.

 

“Come now, then. We have things to do and only a fortnight in which to do it.”


	11. Chapter 11

Frank stood awkwardly, unsure of what he was supposed to be doing with his hands. The clothes they’d put him in weren’t uncomfortable but it was still strange. He heard Gerard chuckle and turned around to look at him.

 

“What are you laughing about, Sir Chucklesworth.”

 

That only made Gerard laugh harder.

 

“You need to loosen up, relax and breathe.”

 

“Are you kidding me? This is a level of crazy I never in a million years thought I’d be dealing with and yet here we are. Why do they have to make a big fuss about this?”

 

“Because, this is meant to be done when you’re a baby and it’s a big fuss then because people are celebrating the birth of a Royal. Crowning you Prince is a big deal. It means that the King is officially acknowledging you as his son, and naming you the heir to his Throne should he no longer be able to hold it for some reason. You’ll be next in line to be King and one day you will wear that crown.”

 

“Don’t tell me that. That’s not helping. Now I’m even more nervous.” 

 

“You won’t be alone in it. I’ll be there and Mikey has sworn to guard you as well as his duties to the Queen. You already have a Knight sworn to you, that’s not small thing. My idiot brother is now bound to protect you with his life because he thinks it’s a good way to make these past years up to you and I.”

 

Frank wrinkled up his nose and shook his head.

 

“I still don’t get this whole thing.”

 

“It’s simple. You will be shown to the crowd; the King will speak and all you have to do is stand there. He will place the crown on your head and you will sit between him and your mother. It’s being done on your birthday so that we may celebrate that as we would have your birth. Once you’ve been seated some of the higher-ranking nobles may present you with gifts and a servant will take them for you and show you what you have received. Everything will be taken up here to your room while you enjoy the festival, feast, and ball.”

 

“And where will you be?”

 

“I will be standing with Lady Rush, as is my place. I’m a Lord, nothing huge and certainly not worthy to stand near you on the Royal platform, soulmate or not.”

 

“Where does ‘Lord’ sit compared to other titles?”

 

“Around the middle, above my brother but below Dukes and Duchesses. I’m about two tiers below you. Three below the King and Queen.”

 

“You are gonna give me a headache.”

 

“You asked.”

 

Frank made a face and leaned into Gerard.

 

“I just want this to be over.”

 

“I know. It’s a lot, but I know you’ll have fun tonight.”

 

Frank sighed heavily and then looked up at a knock on the door before it swung open. Mikey stood, in full uniform, waiting for them.

 

“Ray is escorting the Queen tonight. Her Majesty ordered that I see to the safety of her step-son instead. Lord Way, you’re meant to be in the Great Hall already. Are you trying to start a scandal?”

 

“Sir Michael, I will remind you that if you do not shut your mouth I will launch my foot firmly up your buttocks. My soulmate needed me, and I’m shocked yours isn’t glued to you.”

 

“Bob is with Lady Rush, so I would greatly appreciate if you would go meet with them before she drives him nuts. I have got your soulmate’s safety well in hand.”

 

Gerard rolled his eyes before turning back to Frank.

 

“You’ll be fine, okay? Just follow Mikey and remember what I told you.”

 

Frank nodded and stood up on his toes to kiss Gerard gently. The Faery grinned and kissed him back before leaving the room quickly to go find his grandmother. Frank couldn’t help that the panicky feeling started to rise again the second Gerard was gone and he fidgeted with the edge of his shirt sleeve. He jumped when Mikey’s hand came down to clasp over his.

 

“My brother isn’t wrong. You’ll be fine. Breathe.”

 

“What if I fuck this up?”

 

“Well, do as you’re told and don’t use that kind of language and you’ll be fine. You’ll be guided through this whole thing. They usually do this with babies so it doesn’t go the way this will for you. Everyone's a little thrown off and no one is expecting this to go the most smoothly it’s ever gone.”

 

“How does it go with a baby?”

 

“The baby is blessed, named, and declared. Then it is set either in it’s mother’s arms or in a cradle next to the King’s throne. Then everyone else enjoys the festivities. Perhaps one day you’ll get to see it if you get any siblings in the near future. They’ll be crowned but they’ll fall in line behind you for the throne.”

 

Frank shifted uncomfortably and looked at his feet. Mikey seemed to hear something that Frank didn’t and he straightened himself out.

 

“It’s time.”

 

~~~~~

 

Frank stood on the platform looking out at the crowd of every manner of Faerie and goblin and creature. It was the strangest thing he’d ever seen. He was so lost in his own head and what was happening that he barely heard the King speak until he said his name.

 

“And with that I present to you, Prince Frank Iero and declare him my heir.”

 

He felt the King rest the crown on his head and he looked at his father. That was still a strange concept in his mind. They’d discussed his name as well, they wanted to change his last name but Frank couldn’t bring himself to give it up. Even if the man who’d given it to him wasn’t his true father he had still meant something to Frank. The King seemed to understand even if he was disappointed about it. His mother had already been declared as a Princess. It was the highest title she could be given and the Queen had been the one to suggest it. She may not be a Faerie or the King’s wife but she deserved a place in the court. It was a strange concept but Frank understood that it also allowed her to live in the Palace with them and remain in her duties as Frank’s mother instead of handing the reins over to the Queen who still hoped for her own children.

 

Frank followed the King back to the thrones and mimicked his actions, as he’d been told to, in bowing before he took his seat. The crown held a strange weight on his head and he wasn’t sure how he felt about it but the Queen assured him he’d only have to wear it at major meetings and events. He was grateful for that most of all. Tonight, would be a long night though, he realized, as nobles began to step forward with their gifts and praise and welcome for him.

 

~~~~~

 

Gerard grinned as the dancing began and his grandmother urged him to step up to the platform and ask the Prince for a dance. He knew, though, that this would raise many questions and he wasn’t sure he wanted to put that on Frank so soon. People’s attention was already on him enough.

 

“If you do not go up there and ask your soulmate for a dance I will retrieve him for you. He will be much more comfortable with you near him.”

 

Lady Elena insisted.

 

“Alright, alright. Take a breath and calm down. I will ask him.”

 

Gerard rolled his eyes and carefully made his way around the edge of the room to the platform. He bowed to the King and Queen first and then to Frank. The King motioned him up the steps and Gerard obeyed.

 

“Your Majesty, if it is not too much to ask, may I borrow the Prince for a dance?”

 

“Of course.”

 

The King nodded with a gracious smile. Gerard held his hand out to Frank who looked confused but took it anyways. Gerard led him down the steps and tried to ignore the murmurs as he led the Prince out onto the dance floor. He’d taught Frank to dance properly in their preparations for today, it was a skill he would need and he’d learned quickly but still seemed to be afraid of it.

 

“Gerard, is this really necessary?”

 

Gerard clicked his tongue at him in disapproval and Frank rolled his eyes.

 

“I’m sorry. Lord Way, is this really necessary?”

 

“Yes, your highness, it is. You are a Prince now and you must observe the proper behaviours of your class. Also, you looked like you needed a distraction and my grandmother would not shut her mouth until I did as she told me.”

 

Frank chuckled as Gerard bowed to him and then pulled him close to begin their dance. Frank followed Gerard but he could see the people around them.

 

“People are staring.”

 

“A Lord dancing with the Prince was bound to stir up some gossip and questions but they’ll get over it.”

 

“And just why is this so scandalous if you’re my soulmate?”

 

“Because they don’t know that yet. And I haven’t officially asked your father’s permission to court you yet.”

 

“That sounds tedious.”

 

“Oh, it is but that’s how it works here.”

 

Frank shook his head. Gerard knew it would be a confusing adjustment for Frank but he would help him the best he could and show him how things worked here beyond the lessons they’d already started putting him through to catch him up with where he should be for a Faery Prince of sixteen.

 

“Happy birthday, by the way.”

 

Frank looked up at him and smiled.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Gerard leaned closer to whisper in his ear.

 

“I have your present waiting for you in your room already.”

 

Frank looked up at him with a raised eyebrow and Gerard chuckled at the way it changed his whole expression.

 

~~~~~

 

Frank let Gerard lead him back to his room as the festivities dragged on. He’d had to ask the King if he could be excused and he was forever grateful he’d been allowed.

 

“So, should I be worried about this gift?”

 

“No, I wouldn’t think so.”

 

Gerard opened the door and Frank followed him in. He saw the table in the corner had been laden with the gifts that others had given him but he didn’t see anything he hadn’t already seen. He furrowed his brows and became confused. That is until he heard a tiny noise and looked over at his bed to see a tiny creature sitting on it. He hesitated before stepping closer to it. It was a small dog. A puppy. Frank looked at it wide eyed and moved over to quickly pick it up before it could fall off the edge of the bed. It promptly yipped and began licking every inch of his face and neck.

 

“You are the cutest thing, oh my god. What are you doing here?”

 

“Happy birthday.”

 

Frank looked over at Gerard, standing there grinning like an idiot with his arms folded over his chest.

 

“You…you got me a  _ puppy _ ?”

 

Frank couldn’t help the little squeak in his voice. He was a little overwhelmed as he held the tiny squirming animal.

 

“You loved dogs when you were little and your mom said you’d always wanted one.”

 

Frank’s throat felt tight as he looked at the man standing there. He had remembered something that small about Frank and went out of his way to give him this.

 

“I’m…I…I can’t believe you would…thank you so much.”

 

“What are you going to call her?”

 

Frank looked at the little scruffy thing and smiled.

 

“Sweet Pea.”

 

“That’s a good name. She is a sweetheart.”

 

Gerard nodded, grin softening to a fond smile. Frank set the puppy back down on the bed and moved over to Gerard, pulling his arms away from his chest. Gerard let him and just watched him for a minute. Frank pushed up on his toes and kissed him. Gerard hummed happily and kissed back, wrapping his arms around Frank and pulling him close. Frank reached up to hold onto Gerard’s shoulders, deepening the kiss. It went on for a little bit until both needed to breathe and it forced them to part a little, but they didn’t really move anywhere. Gerard kissed Frank’s cheek and down his jaw to his neck. Frank gasped at the feeling of him kissing his neck and his sharp teeth grazing the skin there. It made him shudder a little and grip Gerard’s shoulders tightly. Gerard paid him no attention and moved back to kiss his lips again. Frank tugged at Gerard’s shirt but quickly grew confused and frustrated at how the stupid thing worked. Gerard chuckled as he broke the kiss to look at Frank.

 

“It’s layered, different pieces.”

 

He started to loosen the main part of the top piece and slid out of it easier than Frank would have expected. It was strange, not like human medieval clothes at all. Frank just pouted as Gerard worked his way out of the rest.

 

“Better?”

 

“Much.”

 

Frank smiled a little, happy to be rid of the confusing article. Gerard gently reached up and removed his own head piece to set it on a table nearby. He turned and took Frank’s crown off to do the same with it. Frank unbuttoned his own shirt, having watched how they’d put the damn thing on him made it easier. Gerard’s hands joined his own, his long fingers working the buttons loose much easier than Frank could. Once he was free of it Frank felt he could move easier and wrapped his arms around Gerard’s neck, pulling him down where Frank could reach him to kiss him properly. He loved the deep chuckle in Gerard’s throat as he did it and the way he picked Frank up to make it easier, carrying him over to the bed. Gerard broke the kiss despite Frank’s protesting.

 

“Are you sure about this?”

 

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so sure of something in my life.”

 

Gerard grinned and leaned down to kiss him as his hands slid down to the fastenings of Frank’s pants.

 

~~~~~

 

Mikey watched Bob carefully through the night and to his credit Bob was careful about not accepting food or drink from anyone that wasn’t Mikey. He trusted that Mikey knew which ones were safe for him. Mikey had explained Faerie food and the magic tricks it sometimes contained. That had been enough to make sure he’d listen. Mikey chuckled as he noticed Gerard and Frank slipping away from the festivities and shook his head. Of course, they would. Though he supposed this would be a lot for Frank to take in all at once. Bob seemed a little overwhelmed too. Mikey moved up behind Bob and held onto his waist.

 

“Do you want to leave?”

 

Bob looked over his shoulder at Mikey and smiled.

 

“That sounds nice right about now.”

 

Mikey stepped back and held out his hand. Bob took it and he led him out of the Palace, away from all the noise and Faeries.

 

“Mikey…”

 

Bob’s voice made Mikey stop and look at him in question.

 

“Do…I know it’s a long shot but…do I get to stay with you or do I have to go home when all of this is over?”

 

Mikey raised an eyebrow.

 

“What do you want to do?”

 

“I…don’t want to leave you…there’s nothing for me at home.”

 

Mikey smiled and kissed Bob.

 

“Then you already are home.”

 

Bob smiled and wrapped Mikey up in his arms to kiss him more firmly.

 

“Good.”

**Author's Note:**

> I'm always online somewhere if you wanna chat or talk stories or art.  
> you can find me @ thePetetoherPat on Twitter, thepetetoherpatrick.tumblr.com, and @ xo_thepetetoherpatrick_xo on Instagram ^-^  
> I also post drawings on Instagram @ punkwithapenart


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